Middle English Dictionary Entry
whip(pe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | whip(pe n. Also whipe, wip(pe, wepe-, qwip(pe, quippe, (in names) hwip-, hwep- & (errors) whhipp, quykp. |
| Etymology | Perh. from, or partly from, MDu. wippe, wip, MLG wippe; also cp. ME whippen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A scourge, lash, whip; also fig.; ~ of (knotted with) led, a whip furnished with leaden balls or pieces; whippes lash, a flexible switch used as a whip;
(b) an instrument for driving or controlling animals, a driving whip or riding crop; halinge ~;
(c) a cord, rope, thong; ~ cord;—also coll.;
(d) ~ saue, a saw with a thin, flexible blade, whipsaw;
(e) glossing L quadragena: ?coll. forty lashes [cp. Vulg. 2 Cor.11.24].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.406 : Almachius dide hym so bete With whippe of leed til he his lyf gan lete.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.120 : I go…bitinge on my lippe, And make unto miself a whippe, With which…Mi wofull herte is so tobete That all my wittes ben unsofte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1671 : She may be goddes mene and goddes whippe; Thanne shal youre soule vp to heuene skippe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.175 : I haue toold forth my tale Of tribulacioun in mariage, Of which I am expert in al myn age; This is to seye my self hath been the whippe.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)118 : My greedy mowth…And hondes two…Thus han me gyded & broght in seruage Of hire þt werreieth euery age, Seeknesse, y meene, riotoures whippe.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)59a/a : Scutica: a wyppe other a ȝerde.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)178 : The piler elm, the cofre unto carayne; The boxtre pipere, holm to whippes lashe.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)408 : A man may do in wey of satisfaccioun or prouocacioun x siþis more peyne as in disciplyne wiþ a whip or wiþ a ȝerde…þan he may do in preiyng for þe same tyme.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)11 : Þrow Pylat pyned he was…Whyppes of quyrboyle by-wente his white sides.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)294/661 : Skorge hym with qwyppys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)138b : A Whype: Flagrum, flagellum, Scutica, scorpio, scorpius, vbi Scorge.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)219/21 : He commaundytt eftesonys to bete hym wyth whippys, knottyt wyth lede.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)34/378 : For youre long taryyng Ye shal lik on the whyp.
b
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.154 : Fowette [vr. riorte; glossed:] a quippe [vrr. haling wippe, whip].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)194 : W. dryuyth the doke with a wippe.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)29 : Þe cartere haþ hys whyppe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.220 : Proude Bayard gynneth for to skippe…Til he a lasshe have of the longe whippe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)69/4 : Ȝyf a man…smet an hors er an-oþer best wyth a whippe…hir thowt sche saw owyr Lord be betyn er wowndyd.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)446/5 : He profurd þaim his whipp & sayde, ‘Take þis with you at ye may gar þe hors ga with.’
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11139 : I kan wynse ageyn the prykke…as bayard out off the tras, Tyl I a lassh haue off the whyppe.
c
- (1349) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29152 : Expensae…In duobus cingulis, iij d. In quykpcorde ob.
- (1362-3) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100 ()565 : In 12 peciis de Qwypcord empt. pro carectar., 4 d.
- (1377-8) *Acc.R.Eton () : [1 d. spent on] Wypcorde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)278b/b : Þe scabbede hound is violentliche ydrawe out of þe dunghill with a rope or wiþ a whippe [L reste vel fune] bounde aboute his nekke.
- (1417) J.Dernell in Nrf.Archaeol.15126 : Item, for lyne for womberopys, ij d. Item, whyp corde, j d.
- a1425 Direct.Laces in Studies Robbins (Hrl 2320)102 : Yf þu wolt þat þe lace be grete, take a whyp-corde and knyt þt o ende wt þy bowes.
- (1436-7) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7841 : Item, for cordlys to the prestys vi p. ii d.; item, for wepecord to the bannerys ob.
- (1465) Paston (EETS)1.312 : Thei…led forth Thomas Bonde to Cossey, and bownde his armes be-hynde hym wyth whippe-cord like a theffe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)138b : A Whipe corde: Resticula.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32148 : Paid for lyne, whipcord, and lyre, iiij d.
- a1486 Arms Chivalry (Mrg M 775)43 : He schal have…a payre of shone…frette with smal whipcorde, thre knottis up on a corde.
- a1500 Cmb.Diseases Horse (Cmb Ll.1.18)75 : For a horse that is restyff: Take a whippecorde…and fastyn yt evyn…betwene his yerde and his coddes.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)727/19 : Mastica: whypcord.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)305/46 : Take them here, bound fast, while this whippecorde may last.
d
- (1454) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.140 : Whyppe sawe, 20 d.; bowe [saw], 1 d., tenan [saw], putte [saw].
e
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)9 : Quadragena: a qwyppe.
2.
The amount of time required for the flick of a whip, an instant; while ~, the interval between cracks of a whip, a brief time;—perh. with order reversed for rime [cp. MnE dial. whip-while a short interval].
Associated quotations
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3374 : When þai had etyn þai went to schip; Þai come hame in a while whip.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4577 : Thre wawes in rann, Þe whilk in to rede blode þan War turned with in a whhipp [read: whipp].
3.
In surname and place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.273].
Associated quotations
- (1219) in Ekwall Dict.EPN488 : Hwepstede.
- (1306) in Ekwall Dict.EPN ()488 : Hwipstede.
- (1313-17) *in Pilkington Surn. : William Whippestele.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.144 : [8 acres…in] Whippesdon [worth 6 d. an acre].