Middle English Dictionary Entry
whīt adj.
Entry Info
Forms | whīt adj. Also whit(t)e, whight, whigth(e, whiȝt(e, whiȝtte, whiȝth, whiht(e, whith(e, whitȝ, whiet(te, whieȝt(t)e, wheit, wȝite, wȝith, wit(e, wight(e, wiȝt(e, wiȝth, wiht, wihiȝt, witȝt, with(e, withte, weite, uit, qwhit(t)e, qwit(e, qwight, qwiȝt, qwith, qhight, (N or freq. N & NWM) quit, quit(t)e, quhite, (chiefly K) huit(e, (SW) ȝwit(e, (16th cent.) kuit & (chiefly early) hwit(e, (early SW) ȝwiȝt, ȝwiht, (early acc.) hwitne & (in names) whi-, wht-, wigth, wiht(t)e-, witte-, wichte-, wic-, wi-, wiȝe-, withi-, wat-, wete-, wut(e)-, vit-, qui(c)-, qwhit-, qweit-, pwith-, hu- & (errors) what, whot, wyȝh, hyt; gen. whites, (early) hwites; pl. (early) hwiten. Comp. whitter(e, etc. & whittore, whiettare, wittore, (N) quether & whītur, quītere & (early) hwittere, hwittre, (SW) hwitture, (early pl.) hwitran; sup. whītest, (early) hwīteste. |
Etymology | OE hwīt adj.; some exx. of the adj. used as noun are difficult to distinguish from ME whīt n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Of a substance, structure, an object: white in color; whitish, pale-colored, light-colored; of the moon, a star: silvery-white; of a book or register: bound in a white or light-colored binding; of stream or river water: light-colored with silt or sediment; of a writ: unendorsed; also, as quasi-adv.: ~ bakked, not endorsed on the back; ~ man (aufin, king), chess one of the white or light-colored chess pieces (the white elephant, white king); ~ stikke, a white tally stick; chalk (swan) ~, white as chalk (a swan); lilie ~, q.v.; milk ~, milk-white; the milk ~ girdel, astron. the Milky Way; snou ~, q.v.;
(b) of a color or hue: white, whitish, pale; ~ grei (gren, yelwe), light gray (green, yellow); ~ hored, grayish white; under ~, off-white, somewhat white [transl. of L subalbidus];
(c) in conventional comparisons: ~ as snou, whittere than snou, etc.;
(d) in proverbs and prov. expressions.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)109/31 : Þa genamen twegen ængles his sawle, & fleogende mid hwiten feðerhamen, betwux heom feredan.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)66/16 : Hwonne þe rinde is aweie…ne hit ne greneð…i ne lufsume leaues, auh adruieð ðe bowes & iwurðet hwite rondes.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)48 : A man…bore…red gold up-on hijs bac, In a male with or blac.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.3.68 : Dewis and whijt frost, blesse ȝe to the Lord.
- c1400(?a1384) Wycl.Eucharist(1) (Bod 647)502 : I bileve…þat þo sacrament of þo auter, whyte and rounde…is verrey Gods body in fourme of bred.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.215 : Ho couþe kyndeliche wit colour discriue, Hif alle þe worlde where whit oþer swan-whit alle þynges?
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)798 : Chalk-whyt chymnees þer ches he in-noȝe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2088 : Þay were on a hille ful hyȝe; Þe quyte snaw lay bisyde.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)57/4 : Cursed be ȝe, ypocrites, þat ben liche to sepulcris þat semen whit wiþoute and wiþinne ben ful of stinkinge, roten flesche.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)376 : He made…wel expert Astronomyens…To fynden out…The Chyldes fate…the heuenly mansiouns Clerly Cerched be smale fracciouns…On Augrym stoones and on white caartes, ypreued out be diligent labour In tables correcte.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)180a/b : Be boþe watrez medled togider, & in coaguling, i. crudding, þai shal be white [Ch.(2): made white; L dealbabuntur] to maner of mylke.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)101a/a : Take…oyle of rosen…white wexe…melte hem wiþ a lente fire.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)233 : Lordis many tymes…taken pore mennus goodis & paien not þerfore but white stickis.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)453 : Þe copiis of þees forseyd dedys…word by word I wryte in a whyte book at Oseney.
- (1446) Will York in Sur.Soc.45102 : De j reme white pauper, spendable, xij d.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1600 : But viij days befforn apperyd in the fyrmament A lemyng sterre…In the mylke qwyte gyrdel.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.3.43 : Take the altitude of the faire white sterre that is clepid Alhabor.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)2116 : Somme to wexe and wane sone As doth the faire white mone.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)167/17 : The xij jmpedymentes…The iiijthe, yf þe watur be wery thilke, whitte or redde as lye of any floyd falle late.
- (1457) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1294 : Ther schold be a kyve with watyr…apon the payn that be contenyt withyn the Whit Boke.
- (1466) Stonor1.87 : Y sende yow þe writte white backed…As for þe ‘vendicioni exponas’, ye seye þat ye have paid þe money; þer for y sende yowe the writte white.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)701 : A qwyte cuppe of tre þer-by shalle be.
- a1475 Chess(1) (Porter)602 : Draw þi white aufen & sey ‘chec’…þe white men drauȝt furst.
- a1475 Chess(1) (Porter)604 : This is covenant þt the whight king shal lose hys Roke or he mate ye blak king.
- a1475 Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)32 : Anoþer medycyn for þe drye craye: take whyte sope and put it in hir tewell.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1964 : This holy man hied hym tyte To a Cite with touris white.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.40.84b : Thei haue plente of joweles and of siluer vessell, but the kyng hath not wher of to paye for his mete but whight stikkes þat nothing auaileth.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.in Centaurus 12 (Lnsd 793)221/6604 : Clowdis somtime beeþ right þynne…White þerfore he him shewe shal.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1104 : Þær æfter ætywdan feower circulas to þam mid dæge onbutan þære sunnan hwites hiwes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.13.39 : Þe prest shal loke hem; ȝif he perseyue vnder derk whyytnes to shynen in þe skyn, knowe he þat hit is no lepre but a weem of wyyt colour.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)305b/a : Colde bredeþ soone white colour, as in snowe.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.35v : Þe femel is of hyȝt of þe mal or nyh o stalk allone, fowre-fleggit, no redhede, leuys more large & dyuysid as þat oþer or deppere, more whit-grene þen þe mal & noȝt whit vnderneþyn.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)228/2511 : Bod color þat þis tretys of is propirly whyt color in uryn, & it is called lacteus color in uryn.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)268/3396 : We see wele at ee þat whyt gray & whyt ȝalow are not all ane.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)40a : Lavandyr coton growith in gardynes and his colour is white horyd.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)10/11 : Þe ballokes conuerteþ þe blood to white colour.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)79/8 : Þer is a spice of vitriol…of white colour bot noȝt schynyng.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)68/10,12,15 : For the apering of the pulpite was as it had be the sonnebeme, havyng a red colour and a white colour and a shynyng colour of gold…The white colour was as snow…And when I see the white colowr, I see þer-in þe oþer two colowres.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)230/3 : Whyte colure tokenyth drede.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1144 : Congellacion…whate it is nowe fyrste I wyll declare: hyt is of softe thyngges induracion with colour whyeȝtte.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1543 : Phisicians in vrynes haue colours nynteen…wherof colour vndirwhite, subalbidus, is oon, Like in colour to Onychyne the stone.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.66 : Adamas vel asius is a ston þat is liȝt in bering, & his colour is witȝt in him.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11065 : The best hewes þat may be To mannes cloþing…ben white, reed, and grene.
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3328 : On morgen fel hem a dew a-gein…It lai dor quit als a rin-frost.
- c1390 NHom.Knt.PW (Vrn)110 : Þe bones…weore as whit as snowe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9932 : Þis castel…quitter [Göt: queþer] es þan snau drif [Göt: snau on drift].
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)28.461 : The ferste spyndle…was Also whit As ony snow snewenge.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)139a : White as snawe: Niueus.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1445 : Then when they thus depuryd be they wyll sublyme vpe whyettare then ye snowe.
d
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1276 : Nis nout so hot þat hit na coleþ Ne noȝt so hwit þat hit ne soleþ.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.436 : And wherby wote men whiche is whyte if alle þinge blake were.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)1250 (1st occurrence) : For white is whitter, if it be set bi blak.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)14542 : My Mantel…haueth ek gret excellence…off bewte…For couere…Al the fowle that ys wyth-oute As Snowh…Makyth whyht [F blanchist] a ffoul dongel.
1b.
Her. (a) Of the color silver or argent; ~ cok (lioun, rose, etc.), a heraldic representation of a cock (lion, rose, etc.) in argent or silver; chalk ~ maiden, a heraldic representation of the Virgin Mary in silver or pale argent;
(b) the ~ lioun, used by metonymy for John de Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, who bore this device.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3648 : Þare was chosen in þe chefe a chalke-whitte mayden, And a childe in hir arme, þat chefe es of hevyne…thies ware þe cheefe armes Of Arthure the auenaunt, qwhylls he in erthe lengede.
- (a1460) Badge York in Archaeol.17 (Dgb 82)226 : Thes ben the Names of…the Bages that perteynyth to the Duke of Yorke…The Bages that he beryth by the Castle of Clyfford is a Whyte Roose; The Bages that he beryth by the Erldom of March ys a white Lyon.
- (a1460) Badge York in Archaeol.17 (Dgb 82)227 : The Bages that he beryth by Kyng Richard ys a whyte Herte and the Sonne shyning…The Bages that he beryth by the fayre Mayde of Kent is a whyte Hynde.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)1b : The Duc of gloucester…Whitt bore…The Duc of norffolke…Whytt lyon.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)2a : The lord howard…Whytt lyon on his sheulde [a] Cressant azur.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)3a : Sir Rychard Dunstalle…the whytt Coke.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)3b : Sir John maleuerer…whytt greyhonde [c]urrant.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)857 : He bar þe scheld of goules, Of syluer þre whyte oules.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)421 : Syr Emere bare in hys schylde A whyte dowbe [read: dowve].
b
- (c1450) The Rote is ded (CotR 2.23)9 : Þe White lioun is leyde to slepe.
- c1460 I warne you (Dub 432)p.293 : The wey into the northe cuntre the Rose ful fast he sought…So than did the White Lyon, ful worthely he wrought.
1c.
Fig. (a) Of a person, the soul, love, etc.: morally pure, spiritually clean, free of the spot or stain of sin, innocent; of virginity: pure; of the virtues of a stone: good, conducing to good; also, in conventional comparisons: ~ as snou, ~ aboven (up) snou, whittere than ermin (snou), etc.; snou ~, q.v.;
(b) the ~ pater-noster, a prayer or incantation recited as a charm against evil;
(c) ben cristened never so ~, to be made ever so clean by baptism; washen ~, refl. make oneself spiritually clean, cleanse oneself spiritually.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)114/31 : Soþlice þa gædering bið hwit iworden þurh fulluhtes bæðe.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)83/4 : Ðanne wurð ic iclansed of alle mine sennes, and hwittere ðane ani snaw.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)128/901 : He…swipte hire of þet heaued…ter sprong ut, mid te dunt, milc imenget wið blod, to beoren hire witnesse of hire hwite meiðhad.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)146/14 : Vor euere so heo [soul] is hwitture, so þe fulðe is schenre.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)50.8 : Þou shalt purisie [read: purifie] me and y shal be made whyȝte vp snowe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.1.18 : If ȝoure synnes weren as flawme red silc, as snowȝ þei shul ben maad white [L dealbabuntur].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Lam.4.7 : Whittere [L Candidiores] is Nazareis than snoȝ, shynendere than mylc.
- c1390 Maidstone PPs.(Vrn)58 : Wiþ holi watur þou schalt me sprinke, And as þe snouh I schal be whit.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)42/15 : Þe…crisme cloþ bitokeneþ a clene whit, chast loue þat þou schuldest haue brouȝt bifore þy domesman unfouled.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)145/17 : Þou schalt wasche me, and aboue snow I schal be mad whit.
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)39/23 : For man he [Christ] helde hit owȝte as watir, al his blode for to make hym wyȝte.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.50.9 : Lord, sprenge thou me with ysope, and Y schal be clensid; waische thou me, and Y schal be maad whijt more than snow.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)75/18 : He qwhyet truly qwhittar þen snaw…for with godis fyre he is kyndyld.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)324 : In paradys was made thys creature…Whitter of hir self then ermyn.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)21/9 : Whech seruauntis our Lord God had brout fro þe grete blaknesse of synne on-to þe fair white vertuous lyuyng.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)262 : Take vp Isaac, þi son so whyte.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.108 : Ðis stone is blak, but his vertues ben whiȝte when þey helpen & blak whene þey noyene.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11664 : Soules þat ben in heuen blis…shal euere be…Swift as winde and as snow white.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3485 : Jesu Crist and seint Benedight, Blesse this hous from euery wikked wight, For the nyghtes uerye, the white Pater noster!
c
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)180/20 : Þreo beðes he greiðede to his deore leofmon uorto wasshen hire in ham so hwit & so ueir.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.355 : I shal the sowdan quyte, For thogh his wyf be cristned neuer so white She shal haue nede to wasshe awey the rede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26575 : If þou will com til rightwis scrift…Noght send wit messager a scrite, For sua þou mate noght wasch þi wite [Frf: þee quite].
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)136/7 : He þat will not wash hym white here may neuer be bold to a-bide þe commynge of Criste to þer saluacion.
2.
(a) Of cloth, clothing, a garment, etc.: white, whitish; of an embroidered figure: worked in white thread; ~ folding, some kind of white cloth, perh. used for wrapping or winding; ~ lether, leather or a piece of leather treated with alum to yield a stiff, white leather able to be further treated to soften it; ~ lomb, white lambskin or lambswool used as a lining; ~ skin, ?a tanned hide, either whitened or left undyed; ~ teiinge pointes, white laces for armor;
(b) of a person, company of persons, an angel: clothed in white, white clad, outfitted in white or highly polished armor; also, as noun: one clad in white armor, a white knight [quot. a1500(a1400)]; ~ canoun, canoun ~, a Premonstratensian canon, a Norbertine; ~ frere, a Carmelite friar [see also frer(e n. 3.(f)]; ~ monk, monk ~, a Cistercian monk; ?also, a Franciscan friar [quot. a1475(?a1430)];
(c) of an abbey: belonging to an order of Cistercians or other religious wearing white habits;
(d) in combs. and conventional comparisons: chalk (chalked, milk) ~, chalk-white (milk-white), pure white; ~ as milk (snou), so ~ so snou, whittere than snou, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)57 : Sume bereð clene cloð to watere to blechen him þat hit beo wit.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)163 : Ðe chire [read: chireche] cloðes ben to brokene and ealde and hise wives shule ben hole and newe; His alter cloð great and sole and hire chemise smal and hwit, and tel albe sol and hire smoc hwit, þe haued line sward and hire winpel wit.
- a1250 Lofsong Lefdi (Nero A.14)207 : Ich bide þe…bi his cloðes wrixlunge, Nu red nu hwit.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11359 : Water me brohte an uloren mid guldene læflen, seoððen claðes soften, al of white seolke.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)368/67 : In a ȝwijȝt Golioun he geth; he nath cloþes non mo.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1144 : I ne haue neyþer bred…Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel.
- a1325 SLeg.Patr.(Corp-C 145)160 : As he biheld al þus aboute, þer com in atte on ende, Twelf men in wiȝt vestemens swuþe fair & hende.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)228/15 : Maydenhod is þe huite robe huerinne þe spot is uouler and more yzyenne þanne in anoþer cloþ.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)236/20 : Þe ministres of holy cherche…ssol by y-cloþed mid linene kertles of chastete, þet is be-tokned be þe huite ulexe.
- (1366-7) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.lxxii : In pane equorum, cum ferrura, cingulis, capestris, witleȝtr’…xxiij s.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.7.9 : I siȝe a greet company…stondinge bifore the trone in the siȝt of the lomb…clothid with whijte stoolis.
- a1400 Cursor (Vsp A.3)988/216* : Within þe monument two aungels scho seghe Cled in white clothez.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)220 : Bornyste quyte watz hyr uesture.
- (1411) in Rec.B.Nottingham 284 : j whyt skyn, v d.
- (1414) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.44 : [13 ells of] whitkersay.
- (1423) Will York in Sur.Soc.4571 : Pro xij virgis de panno vocato whytefalddyng.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)263 : Oure lord Jesu came and aperede to hir, and in alther whitest clothes.
- (1431-2) EEWills91/17 : A russet gounne lynyt with whythe blanket.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)34/12 : My Lord…I am comawndyd in my sowle þat ȝe schal ȝyue me þe mantyl & þe ryng & clothyn me al in whygth clothys.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.40/3 : j large matrasse hilled with white canuase.
- c1450 Ladd Y the daunce (Cai 383/603)p.307 : A peyre wyth glouus ic ha to thyn were.
- c1450 Leeds Mir.Virg.(Leeds 501)221/31 : Ther cam down from a turret aboue fowre yonge men of the age of xvi ȝeer…and they had on wyght avbys.
- (1451) Doc.in Sharp Pageants Cov.26 : Payed for vj skynnys of whitleder to godds garment.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15150 : Item, a payr of Whyte Vestymentes for lent, that is to sey one whyte chesyple, awbe, amys, stool, and the phanol; Item, the veyl, other wyse called the lent cloth, of whyte lynen cloth with a cross of blue.
- (1460) Acc.Cowfold in Sus.AC 2318 : Pro faciende de belle ropes…and wheyt leder iiij d.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57363 : Item, for xiij dosen of whigthe teyinge poynȝtes, ij s. ij d.
- (1466) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5038 : j vestment of blewe chamlet embraudet wt whyte Roses.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)52/21 : And in the myddis Arthure was ware of an arme clothed in whyght samyte, that helde a fayre swerde in that honde.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)64 : All the Sergeauntes of thys courte owe specially to were theyre ray hoodes furred with whyte lambe, and a coyfe of sylk, whyte, at the four festes of the yere.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3573 : Quene Gaynor…went…To Avmysbery, A nonne hyr for to make…There weryd she clothys whyte And blake.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11071 : White wede is worthi þing; Of aungel it is þe cloþing.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6264 : Ane abbet lynit with quite satten.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)117/24 : Binnen þan wealle wæren ungerime menige hwittre manna, on mycelre blisse.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)126/24 : Heo iseoð…isæliȝe monnæ hwit werod heriȝende ure Drihten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14898 : Vnder þan ilke þinge comen to Æluric þan kinge munekes and eremite & canunes white.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)52 : Þer is a wel fair abbei Of white monkes and of grei.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11923 : Maister philip porpeis, þat was a quointe man…Hii made a wit legat…& he stod as a legat vpe þe castel walle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.31 : He made Baldewyn þe whiȝte monk [Higd.(2): prior of the ordre Cisterciense] archbisshop of Caunterbury.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6695 : Seynt Austyn seith a man may be In houses that han proprete…as these chanouns regulers Or white [F blanc] monkes.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)314/27 : Þere aros anoþer cumpanye of diuers nacions þat was called ‘þe white companye’, þe whiche, in þe parties & cuntre of Lumbardye, dede myche sorwe.
- ?a1425 Wycl.CChron.(2) (Em 85)187/377 : In þe ȝer of grace Ml c xix þe ordre of primonstrensis, þat is, whit chanouns, bigan in diocise of lundun.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.7 : Thee, preisiþ þe whit oost of martris.
- (1431) Plea Sharpe in RS 28.5 pt.1 (Hrl 3775)456 : Ȝet no thing towched the temporaltes above seyd of College, ne of Chauntries, ne of Whyte Chanons, ne of Cathedral cherchys wyth here temporates.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)6/9 : Þis creatur had greet cownsel for to don wryten hir tribulacyons & hir felingys, and a Whyte Frer proferyd hir to wryten frely yf sche wold.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)412 : Premoster: whyȝte chanoun.
- (c1449) Paston (EETS)1.54 : Desir him…to comon with þ[e] proktor of þe Whith Freris at Rome.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)259/10 : Wythin this ten myle is an abbey of whyght monkys.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)580 : Monkys greye, whyte, & blake…And Seyn Fravnceys I sawh ek ther.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.42 : Quod the quite knyȝte, ‘Quat mon is this?’
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)4117 : To day the rede knyght best haþe ben…Shoo lokyd on hym, þat be here satte, The whyte & the rede boþe she forgatte.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)116/227 : Þe foreseyd wyght thing [angel]…toke my saule fro my body and brought hym first into þe foreseyd valey.
c
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)86/27 : The remenaunt wer buryed in a white abbey.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)877/3 : At the fourthe day aftir evynsonge he com to a whyght abbay.
d
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)108/10 : His claðes weron iworden swa hwite swa snaw.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9514 : Wite clothes heo dude hire on…ilich þe snowe.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)1044 : Milke white is mi queintise.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)267/31 : Þer byeþ Monekes þet…Vor blake and uor harde kertles huyter þane þe snaw, and of alle zofthede and nesshede cloþinge habbeþ an.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 9.3 : His clothis ben maad schynynge and white ful moche as snow.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.358 : An anlaas and a gipser al of silk Heeng at his girdel whit as morne mylk.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.334 : Alle þei fled on rowe, in lynen white as milke, For non suld þam knowe.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)382 : The knyghte in his coloures was armede fulle clene…His mayles was mylk-whytte.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1506 : Was neuer bed rechere Of emperours ne qwene: Faire coddis [vr. schetus] of silke, Chalked-whyte [vr. Chalk-whyȝth] als þe mylke.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1498 : Lett þan þe pupill ilka poll apareld be clene, And al manere of men in mylk-quyte clathis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1584 : Þan fyndis he…Bathe chambirlayn & chaplayne in chalk-quite wedis.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)3095 : Ouer the walle þey behylde And sawe hym hove in the feld, As whyȝte as any snowe.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1467 : I sauh…The garnementis whitter than mylk or snow Of all the Angelis that did hym reverence.
3.
(a) Of a plant: white-flowering, bearing white or whitish blossoms, pods, leaves, etc.; of a flower: white-petaled; of a plant’s leaves, seeds, etc.: white or whitish, pale-colored; as noun: a white-flowering variety (of watercress) [quot. a1450]; coll. the white berries of the Indian pepper vine [quot. ?a1425(c1400); cp. whit-peper n. (a)]; as quasi-adv.: ~ flekked, white-flecked, white-spotted; ~ mos, ?some white or pale-colored kind of lichen; ~ rose, some white-petaled variety of rose; also, an ornamental setting for a gem crafted in the form of a white rose [quot. 1462];
(b) in names of specific plants: ~ bis-malwe, q.v.; ~ bothel (bothen, gold), the ox-eye daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum; ~ brassik, a variety of wild cabbage Brassica oleracea; ~ ches-bolle (popie), a white-flowered variety of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum; also, the seed of this plant; ~ clover, white clover Trifolium repens; ~ croue fot, some white-flowered species of the genus Ranunculus, perh. the white buttercup (Ranunculus aconitifolius or Ranunculus platonifolius) or the water crowfoot Ranunculus aquatilis; ~ ellebre, prob. the European white hellebore Veratrum album or the root of this plant; ~ hen-bane, white henbane Hyoscyamus albus; ~ herbe, perh. cudweed (Filago vulgaris or Gnaphalium uliginosum) or the mouse-ear hawkweed Hieracium pilosella; ~ hokke, a plant of the genus Althaea, prob. marsh mallow Althaea officinalis; ~ hore-houne (marrubium), the common or white horehound Marrubium vulgare; ~ ivi, some plant similar to ivy but having white berries; ~ lilie, prob. the Madonna lily Lilium candidum or its flower; ~ malwe [see malwe n. (b)]; ~ minte, a kind of wild mint, prob. horsemint Mentha sylvestris or water mint Mentha aquatica; ~ mustard, white mustard (Sinapis alba or Brassica alba); ~ peper, q.v.; ~ ploume-tre, a variety of plum tree Pruinus domestica producing fruit with light-colored skin; ~ quiches, some sort of rhizome-propagating, shallowly rooted weed, perhaps one with white flowers; ~ senevei, a plant of the genus Brassica, prob. white mustard Brassica alba; ~ tanseie, ?silverweed Potentilla anserina; ~ thorn, q.v.; ~ vine (vine-tre), the common or white bryony Bryonia dioica or some similar plant; ~ violet, ?the white variety of the sweet violet Viola odorata or another white flower of the genus Viola; ~ wilwe, prob. the common white willow Salix alba; ~ (frensh) wort, prob. some plant of the genus Brassica, perh. a cultivated form such as cabbage, kale, rape, or a similar vegetable; also, ?feverfew Chrysanthemum parthenium [quot. a1500 MS Hrl.3388]; peper ~, = whit-peper n. (c);
(c) in names of particular substances derived from plants or parts of plants: ~ cedre, ?the wood or some other product of the true cedar or cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani or of some other evergreen species; ~ coliaundre, ?the powdered seed of coriander Coriandrum sativum; ~ cude, q.v.; ~ gingivere [see gingivere n. (b)]; ~ gomme, gomme…~, ~ rosine, ?dried or powdered rosin; ~ saundres, powdered white sandalwood Santalum album; ~ store, a superior grade of incense; ~ terebentine, ?an especially light-colored or dilute form of the oleoresin of the terebinth tree Pistacia terebinthus; ~ turbit, a refined, high-quality turpeth; ~ water, a white or pale-colored juice extracted from a crushed plant.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)49/9 : Þeos wyrt…man symphoniacan…hatað…þanne is seo ærre hwittere.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)197/2 : Þeos wyrt þe man acantaleace nemneð, heo hafað leaf swylces wulfes camb, ac hi beoð mearuwran & hwitran.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)46.11/4 : Spinette: Milke of alemauns, floures of þe þeoueþorne ymedled in þe milke of alemauns…genger itried, sucur clene vort abaten þe streynþe of þe gynger, & qwyte floures to streyen abouen.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)230/7 : Maydenhod…is anlikned to þe lylye þet is wel uayr and huyt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.16.31 : Þe house of yrael clepede þe name of it manne, that was as þe seede of colyaundre [WB(2): coriandre] whyte [L semen coriandri album], & the taast of it as of trieed floure with hony.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1053 : She gadreth floures party white and rede To make a subtil gerland for hir hede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)251b/a : Þe gomme þat droppeþ of þe tree þat hatte libamus hatte olibanum…þe gomme þat droppiþ…in heruest is nought so white nouþer so pure.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)109.53/3 : Rosee: Take thyk mylke…Cast þerto sugur…pynes, dates ymynced, canel, & powdour gynger…seeþ it and alye it with flours of white rosis.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)30b : Henbane ys in iij manerys; one beryth white sede, þe secunde rede sede, the þirde berithe black sede.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)31b : Horehound oþer morall oþer howndben ys like blynde nettill but þe levis ben whitter.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)112/15 : The long peper cometh first whan the lef begynneth to come…And after cometh the blake with the lef in manere of clustres of reys[i]nges all grene; And whan men han gadred it, þan cometh the white, þat is somdell lasse þan the blake.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)175b/b : Medicinez conforting þat bene competent in þe ende ar after fomentacioun with wyne salted of decoccioun of rose, of absinthij, of white mosse of oke treez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)160b/a : Take…bursa pastoris, orpin, souþistel wiþ white-flecked leues, sengrene, [etc.].
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)103/245 : Tak þe rede water-kerse, for þei buþ hatter & bettur þen þe whit.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)131/1 : Moushere…haȝt lytyl lewys abowyn grene and be-nethyn qwyȝt.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)180/24 : Wylde mynte…haȝt lewys lyk to þe toþer mynte but…more longe and quytere.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2373 : Smale trees ful many þere be That bereth of cotoun grete plente…hit is longe, white, and smale…And hit semeth when it is growe As though the trees were ful of snowe.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)139/20 : The lilie is white of kynde.
- (1462) Paston (EETS)1.108 : Jowellis leyd to plegge be my lord of York to Ser John Fastolf for vjc mark…A gret diamant in a white rose.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1850 : Somer floures, blew, whiht, & rede, Wer in the hyhest lusty fressh seson.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)32b/19 : This enplayster is made of whit rose and rede saunders ylyche muche, an ownce of barly floure, of camfre an vnce.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4973 : Frut on yt fourmyt, fairest of shap, Of mony kynd þat was kuyt…Þat shemert as shire as any shene stonys.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)45/1 : He cwæð, ‘Ic geseh þa wlitige swylce culfre astigende ofer streamlicen riðen, & unasecgendlic bræð stemde of hire gyrlen, & swaswa on lenctenlicre tide, heo wæs embtrymed mid rosene blostmen & mid hwite lilian.’
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 76)20 : Hwytpopig, papauer: hwitpopi.
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)556/33 : Trifolium, i. trifoil, i. wite clouere.
- a1300 Sln.146 Gloss.(Sln 146)297/268 : Citalona: ang. huite clavere.
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(1) (Add 15236)113/160 : Miconium…papaver album idem: anglice, wyth popy.
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(1) (Add 15236)113/168 : Mentastrum: gallice, mentastre; anglice, wyth mynte.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)945/14 : Yvy hatte hedrea…yvy is double kynde white and blak…Þe white yvy haþ white fruyt, and þe blak haþ blak.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)947/13 : Dias seiþ…of þe tweye maner kynde of þis herbe, þe white eleborus is þe bettre and is hoot and drye.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.73vb : It multeplieth in þe ground in manere of qwit qwikes, but it harme not in gardines.
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)45/15 : Consolida media, centrix idem, unum habet stipitem, florem album, latum, et durum…anglice, whit-bothel uel seynt Mary maythe.
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)134/16 : Papauer album florem habet album, cuius semen coconidium appellatur: ge. [?read: ae., i.e. anglice] whatpopy.
- ?c1400 MS Trin-C O.8.2 in Hunt Plant Names (Trin-C O.8.2)74 : [Caulis:] whytt wertys…whitt frensch wort.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)55 : Take ye…of þe white lilies and kitte hem smal with a knyf…and menge þis erbis þat I of spak, and lay som vpon þe botches.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)122/66 : Whylk gren color is mast lyk þe lef of þe grene cool þat we call þe whyt wort.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)49b : Menta Romana. Mynte ther ys of a noþer kynde, some men calliþ him white mynte…and sum calliþ him horse mynte for he growiþ in bankys of watrys.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)88b : Also the rote of the white vyolett y-holde jn a bodyes mouthe, þe juis y-swolouryd downe stanchith blody woundys.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)124a/b : The…farmciez ar made…of bakkez & eggez of formicus, i. pismyerez, & gumme of a white vyne & of brionie & netlez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)153b/a : White horehoune soþen in salte water & made a plaister þer off abateþ and doeþ aweie olde swellinges.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)197a/b : Papauer, popy…þer ben þre maners þerof: wilde popy, þat comeþ not in medicynes, white popy, þat is colde & moiste, and black popye, þat is colde & drye & is mortificatif.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)390/35 : The place schal be plastrede with the sede of radisshe…and of þe rote of þe white elebre tempred with vynegre.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)598/24 : Take of white henbane [L iusquami albi]…of opium…of þe sede of a gourde, [etc.].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)63/25 : Wesche his fete in warme water þat þe whitte chessebolle & letouse hase bene sothen in.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)66/24 : Herbes þat are hate…Centory, burnett, germandre, white brissoke, and rede diptonge.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)77/28 : Tak waybrede, white tansay, ȝarow…& stamp ilk a grise by hym-self & wrynge owt þe jus.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)148/19-20 : Consolida media is an herbe þat men clepe qwyt bothel [vrr. white bothom, wyth boþume] or qwyth golde.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)151/18 : Þe rote of þis herbe [dragon’s fennel] with þe rote of þe quyte venye mad to powdre and medled with hony helyȝt alle woundis.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)78 : Þe roote of þe white violet wole stanche þe flux of þe wombe, be it olde, be it newe.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)119 : White senuey is clepid in latyn eruca.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)192/5 : Accipe red fenell…rew…rotys off pyony or þe leuys off þe wȝyte wyn-tre.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)235/17 : Take wyte tansey, weybred, noseblede, wyte malowus…stampe euery be hym selfe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)52/118 : To purge þe brest, take the levys and þe tendre stokkes of the white horehoune & stamp hem fast and þen take thy botre and seth hem togeder.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)312/1026 : For ach þat suellith, take the leues of alþer, the leves of white welow, and þe leves off poplere.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)209 : Pro dodore [read: dolore] capitus: Tak þe jus of whyt juy, & put hyt in þy nese þerles, & hyt schal voyde hed ache.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)224 : Seþ leues of þe whyte plomtre.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)115/1 : A souereyn watyr for eyne…Take…þe leef of whyt vyne.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)124/30 : Take…of whyt hocke, þat is callyd þe see-hocke, or ellys þe holy-hocke…v handfull.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)126/23 : Take…þe rote of elanacampana, of whyte-mauribium.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)71/9 : Þe root of a white vyne and a blacke wielde vyne is þe best medicyn to clense þe ere of…filþe.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)352/30 : Eite with thy meite the seede of whight mustarde, beten in poudre.
- a1500 Agnus Castus (LdMisc 553)199/5 : Pes corui siluaticis is an herbe þat me clepuþ white crowfoot; þis herbe haþ leues lich to rammesfeet…and a white flour and a reed stalk.
- a1500 MS Ashm.1443 in Hunt Plant Names (Ashm 1443)117 : [Filago:] weyhore and whyt herbe.
- a1500 MS Hrl.3388 in Hunt Plant Names (Hrl 3388)115 : [Febrifuga:] fetherfoy, witwort.
- a1500 Sln.Herb List (Sln 1201)75 : Herbys necessary for a gardyn…Persely, Pelytor…Pyper white, Pacyence.
c
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)11/12 : Nim hwytne stor and senep and gingiber.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)223a/a : Dragantum…is a maner gomme of a certein tre…And þerof is treble kynde, for some is white…and som is somdel reed and cytrine.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)46/18-19 : Þanne putte þerto…of whit [L albissime] terebentyne & if þou mowe finde noon whiȝt [L albam] terebentyne, þanne waische oþere terebentyne with cold watir.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)66/11 : Take frankencense, whiȝt gummis & fatt.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)132/4 : Leie an entreet maad of ij parties of whiȝt rosyn & oon partie of wex.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)111.60/9 : Florissh it with white coliaundre in confyt.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)86b : Gadyr a gode quantite of this erbe [wood sorrel] with oute rote, stampe ham, and wrynge oute the juis in to a clene saucer…and poure oute the clere white water fro the grene.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)160a/b : Take [for a wound] white saunders, spodium, acacia…caumfer…opium halfe ane ounce, meddel with þe iuse of sum herbe þe whiche is good to þis purpos.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)171a/b : Take white rosine and boile it in þe strongest vineger þu maye fynde and þen kaste alle to gidere in colde water.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)79/5 : Dragagant is a white gumme.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)28/8 : Tak whitt turbit at spicers…& twys als mekill suger & do alle to-gedir.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)93/5 : Take whyt stoure and code and virgyne-wax and do hem in þat jus.
- (1463-5) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 10107 : We payde for White Cedur to mende ye bawdrykes of ye bell…vi d.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)180/2 : Make a plastir of white sandris and of reed.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)67b/b : Thanne þou schalt take oonly whit terbentyne and putte it bytwene two lynnen cloþis…and þanne warme it at þe fier as hoot as þe pacient may suffre and leye it to þe wounde.
4a.
(a) Of stone, soil, metal, a metallic substance or object, chemical compound, mineral, gemstone (including gems of organic origin as coral and pearl): white, whitish; gray, silvery, light-colored; also, as noun: the white stone, the white variety of stone;—also coll.; sup. the whitest kind; ~ marble, marble ~ [see marble n. 1.(b)]; ~ marle, a light-colored friable substance consisting of clay mixed with calcium carbonate; ~ nail, a nail of iron, silver, or other gray or silver-colored metal;—also coll.; ~ silver, chalk ~ silver, white silver (as contrasted with red gold); ~ wir, iron wire coated with tin;
(b) of metal: white hot;
(c) of silver, a silver object: ungilded, plain as opposed to gilded;
(d) ~ moneie (silver), moneie ~, silver money, coins of silver or of silver-coated copper, brass, or iron; ~ pounde, a customary rent, perh. similar to the filsting pounde [see filsting ger. 2.(c)];
(e) ~ brike, a white or light-colored kind of brick;
(f) of glass, crystal, a crystalline stone: colorless, uncolored, transparent, clear; also, of water: without color.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)110/1 : An þridde ængel fleah him ætforen, gewæpnod mid hwite scelde & scinende swurde.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)130/18 : Þeah we us scrydæn mid þam rædeste golde & mid þam hwiteste seolfre…þe mon sceal ece ende abidæn.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)67/12 : Lour hit her: read gold & hwit seoluer inouh.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1910 : He maked hath…In a touret on the wal Of alabastre whit or reed coral An oratorie…In worship of Dyane.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.15 : Þere is also anoþer manere white marle, þat þe lond is þe better foure score ȝere þat þere wiþ is i-marled.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.25 : Þere beeþ salt welles fer fram þee see…Þe water of þese welles, whan hit is i-sode, torneþ in to smal salte, faire and white.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)113a/b : Vesper, an eue sterre…haþ colour…schinynge as electrum, þat is, metall þat is most whit & briȝt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)191b/b : In þe see of Scicilla is white coral engendrede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195a/b : Alabastre is a white stoon wiþ strakes of divers colours…and þat stone þat bredeþ aboute thebe and Damascus is more white þan oþer.
- a1400 in Singer Cat.Alchem.2.409 : Tak…i parte white mercury, ii partes of water of sulfur, and the thridde parte of arsenek.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)207 : A pyȝt coroune ȝet wer þat gyrle Of mariorys…Hiȝe pynakled of cler quyt perle.
- (1419-20) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81145 : In d de quytnayles empt. eod. temp., 6 d.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)107/19 : All þase þat are reed er made of rubies… þe whyte er made of cristall or of berill; þe ȝalow er made of topazes or crisolytez, þe grene of emeraudez.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)79/12 : Vitriol is hote and drye…And þer ar 4 maners þerof: Indicum, þat is founden in ynde, and þat is white.
- (1429-30) Rec.St.Mary at Hill72 : For iijc & half white nayll, þe c x d., ij s. xj d.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1026 : He sowppes all þis seson with seuen knaue childre Choppid in a chargour of chalke-whytt syluer.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)49.385 : Thanne leidde he þat swerd to his Owne wonde; the poynt…sone Owt Com…More whittere, more fair, and More Cler An hundred part thanne it was Er.
- a1450 Dc.291 Lapid.(Dc 291)p.30 : Þe diamaundes…þat commen oute of arabie…ben whitter.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.507a : Please your wise discretions…to pray the Kyng…that noo Marchaunt…bryng, sende, nor conveye…into this Reaume of Englond…eny of theese Wares or thinges underwriten: That is to sey, eny Wollen Bonettes…Tenys Balles…Chauffyngdishes…Cardes for Wolle, or Whitewyre…to be…sold within this Reame.
- (1467) Will York in Sur.Soc.45160 : Ymaginem…de white alablastre.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)8/39 : There is cley, bothe white & reed…to colowryne wt tyles.
- a1475 Limn.Bks.(Brog 2.1)85 : Take coperase of the whyttest, the quantite of ij benys for j skynne.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.321 : Þe stretis…wern paþyd with…whyt, clene ston.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)89/13,14 : Two precious stoones…oon ys whit, þe oþer Reed…þe whyt bygynnes to appere at þe settynge of þe sonne abown þe waters.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)191 : What is gold & sylver…But erth wyche is pure whyȝte & Rede?
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)p.45 : Acate is fund in a rever cleped Acate…Yer ben som blake & som whyte.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.78 : Also þer is wyȝt corall, & it haþe all þe vertues þat þe rede coral haþe and moo.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.105 : Sardonix…is of iij colors…þe blak is of þe lowest & þe whitȝ of þe medel, þe rede as vermylon is hiest.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.112 : Noset crapendien is a precios stone, somdell wyhiȝt.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.113 : Nitrum is a veyne of þe erþe, & it is hote & drey, lyȝt rede oþer wyȝt or citrin.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.46 : Hir goldin hair and rich atyre…couchit were with perllis quhite.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.1.7 : The sool of the foot of hem as the sole of a calues fote, and sparclis, as byholdyng of whyte metale [WB(2): buylynge bras; L aeris candentis].
c
- (1432) Rec.St.Mary at Hill26 : Also v chales of seluer, iiij gilt & j white.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30132 : I bequethe to Alis Wilughby, my doghter…a whit pece of silver covered with a rounde belle…Also…to Baudewyn Wilughby, my sone…a gilt pece of the bell shapp…also a whit pece of silver covered.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30133 : I bequethe to Henre Wilughby my sone…xij spones of silver of diverse swortys, of the whech v are gelt, also a whit pece of silver covered with a rounde boll giltide.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30134 : Also I bequethe to Rauf Willughby my sone…a covered salar of silver…also a gilt pece covered…also a white pece covered with Annesley armes, that weieth a pounde and half a unce.
- -?-(1473) Will in Som.RS 16226 : 2 bolle peces all white…and a dosein spones with wrethen knappes gilte.
d
- (1298-1300) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 245 : De iiij li. x s. vij d. ob. q. de redd’ ass’ Landgafel et whitepund.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4846 : Muche was þe tresour þat þay founde þan, of gold & syluer & ryche stan & monaye whyt & blake.
- (1423) RParl.4.257b : Hit be alleged that the white Moneye that is nowe yforged in the Kynges Mynte be bettere of alay thenne the old Sterlyng.
- (1429) RParl.4.360b : Yai wil not aske ne receive for paiement yerof no manere of white Silver…but oonly Gold.
- (1444) RParl.5.109a : Provided also that no white money, as Grote, half Grote, Peny, Half Peny nor Ferthings, be broke nor molte…upon the peyne of forfaiture unto the Kyng the double value of as moch as is so molten or broken.
- c1450 Gt.Chron.(Gldh 3313)119 : This yere was grete scarcete of white money that thogh a noble were so good of gold and weyght men myght getyn no white money therfore.
- 1482 Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/140)187/19 (p.172) : Thes be the goldys and whyte mony that ffollowyth that ys apoynttyd ffor the payment, as they were corrant affore the Doches dyedd ffyrst: The new crowne, at v s. vj d.; the old crowne at v s. iij d., .. and as ffor any oder goldys and oder syluer, they wyll non.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11783 : The golde was all gotyn, & the grete sommes…of qwhite syluer, qwemly to-gedur.
e
- (1468) in Salzman Building in Engl.144 : Brekstones called Whitebrek.
f
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)54/25 : Afterward putte in poudre of white glasse and of alum ȝucaryne.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf e vi/b : The wich figuris ar calde fontanys or wellis…they represent euermore the colowre of the water of a well the wich is white.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.142 : Þe lyght of þe sonne or mone shewyt disposicioun of þe glas þat it pasyȝt by, qhethir it be qhyght or blak, blew or reed.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)34/332 : The Cristall is clere and whyte.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.67 : Alistores vel alettoria is a ston whiȝt shynynge lik to crystal water.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.114 : No metall is mor able to make of mirrores þen is glas, neyþer to receyue peynture; but it is most worthid wyȝh glas ȝat is nyx to cristall in color.
4b.
In names of specific metals, minerals, metallic or mineral substances: ~ coperose, a metallic sulphate of zinc; ~ erthe, chalk; ~ led, a mixture of the carbonate and hydrate of lead [see also led n. 1b.(a)]; ~ litarge, ?lead monoxide; ?litharge of silver; ~ plastre, gypsum, sulfate of lime; ~ tartar, ?purified tartar; calce…~, ?calcined silver.
Associated quotations
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(1) (Add 15236)109/48 : Cerusa, flos plumbi idem: gallice, blonc plome; anglice, wyt lede.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.271 : Bysides Parys is greet plente of a manere stoon þat hatte gypsus, and is i-cleped white plaistre.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)192/28 : Do þerto whit litarge [L litargiri albi], elleborum nigrum.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1351 : We payde for white erthe to dawbe ye wallys, viii d.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)105/285 : Take sulphur vyue & whit tartre & blak & grynde him al to-geder.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)240/13 : Take wyte coperese and lay yt yn watyr tyll yt be resoluyd and þen wasch þe sore þer-with.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57280 : For medesen for yen, take a lytell whyte coperose.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)39/13 : Take roses, anyse, and ceruse þat is clepid blank plum and white lede.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)330 : Whe make calces vnctuus both whythe & rede.
4c.
Alch. (a) Of alchemical substances or operations: effecting transmutation to silver; ~ elixir (ston), elixir ~, the white-colored form of the elixir (philosophers’ stone) for transmuting metal into silver; ~ sulphur, ?sophic sulfur [cp. sulphur n. (c)]; ~ wif (woman), the female principal in the alchemical marriage, the White Woman; ~ werk, the process for obtaining the white elixir;
(b) bicomen ~ parfitli, ?to become silver in substance, be completely transmuted into silver.
Associated quotations
a
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1390 : Vnto whyettyng yu schalte bryng thyne golde moste lyke…to ye leuys of an hawe-thorne tree, calde magnesya…And our whyette sulphour wytheowte conbustebyllyte wyche frome ye fyer wyll neuer flee.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1788 : Ye Rede man & ye whyȝte woman be made on, Spowsed with ye spirit of lyffe to leve in loue & reste.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1835 : Then yu muste devyed thyne elyxare whyȝte in-to partis 2.
- a1500(?1471) *Ripley Epis.Edw.IV (Ashm 759)104b : So diyth metalles with colours euermore permanent After qualite of the medecyn redde or white.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1128 : These ij kindes shal do alle youre seruyce As for þe white werke, if ye can be wise.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1633 : Of this erth shewith Alberte, oure grete brodire, In his Minerals whiche litarge is better then odire; For the white Elixer he doithe it there reherce.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2072 : A lewde man late that seruyd this arte Tastyd of the white stone a parte…wherbi the wreche was sodenly Smytt in a stronge paralisie.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2663 : Candida tunc rubeo iacet vxor nupta marito: That is to say…Then is the faire white woman Mariede to the rodie mane.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2667 : When oure white stone shal…rest in fyre as rede as blode, Then is the mariage perfite.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)63a : Proceade by obscuratione; Of the red man & his whit wyfe called eclipsacione.
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2951 : For the white werke make fortunate ye moone; For ye lorde of ye iiijth howse likewyse be it done.
b
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1310 : Yis blode callde our secrete menstruall wher-with oure sperme is noryschyd temperatly when it is tourned into feces corporall And become whyeȝte perphyȝtly.
5.
(a) Of an animal, a bird, dragon: having white, whitish, or light-colored fur, fleece, feathers, scales, etc.; also in heraldic motto [quot. 1345-9]; of fleece, feathers, spots on an animal’s hide, etc.: white-colored, whitish, pale-colored; of a painted representation of an animal: white; of a part of an animal’s or a bird’s body, fish roe: white, silvery, light-colored; also, as noun: the white animal, white creature;—also coll.; also, white feathers [quot. a1500(?c1440), 1st]; ~ grei, having pale gray hair; ~ horn, an epithet for a plow animal; ~ rat, q.v.; ~ wombe, a name for a hare;
(b) in combs. and conventional comparisons: chalk (milk, papire, swan) ~, white as chalk (milk, paper, a swan), pure white; snou ~ [see also snou-whit adj. (a)]; ~ as milk (milkes fom, snou, etc.), ~ so milk (milkes reme, snou); whittere than lilie flour (snou), more ~ than swan;
(c) as quasi-adv. with ppl. or adj.: ~ foted, having a white foot; ~ horned, as noun: a snail having white or whitish hornlike appendages; ~ mailed, having white breast feathers; ~ spekkede (splekked), white-spotted, having patches of white hair, piebald;
(d) astron. the ~ bole, the zodiacal sign Taurus;
(e) fig. and theol. the pascale lomb al ~, the ~ lomb (celestial, Christ.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)147/12 : His fet synden blodreade begen, & se bile hwit.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)594 : Þa milc wæs of are [Otho: one] wite hinde þe Brutus sceat mid his honde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7974 : Þa comen ut þas tweien draken…& fuhten grimliche…Ærest wes þe white buuen & seoððen he wes bi-neoðen.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)599 : Panter is…blac…mið wite spottes.
- ?a1300 Names Hare (Dgb 86)350/44 : Þe sittere…Þe gobigrounde…Þe wite-wombe.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)24/141 : Amid þis faire companie seint Anneis hy seie…A lomb wittore þanne eny þing ȝeode by hure riȝt side.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8412 : Of holimen…Vpe vaire wite stedes…Sein George þe verste was.
- (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3143 : Tunica et scutum operata cum dictamine Regis: Hay hay, the Wythe swan, by godes soule I am thy man.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.44 : Þe lombe opened on of þe claspes…And I seiȝ a white [F blanc] hors come out.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2158 : He…of þe white beres…was afraied.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2139 : Ful hye vpon a chaar of gold stood he With foure white boles in the trays.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2150 : About his chaar ther wente white alauntz…To hunten at the leoun or the deer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1348 : The hors on which sche rod was blak…a sterre whit Amiddes in the front he hadde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)295a/b : Leouns in Syria…ben blake wiþ white [L candidis] spekkes and ben like to panteres.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)521 : A qwyte douyfe sall þu se flyande.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.30.35 : Al the flok of o colour, that is, of whyet or of blak flese, he toke in the hoond of his sones.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.30.40 : Jacob dyuydide the flok…alle the whyte and the blak weren of Laban.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1750 : Þe hed apon þe whytes tayl…bytokenyþ…Þe heires þat buþ treowe and gode Schal distryen al þy blode.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)268/3394 : All camoil, oþer þai are gray dim…id est…havynge mare of þe gray, or ellys whyt gray, hafynge sumdel mare of þe whyt.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)10b : On þis maner maist þou kepe a whyt hors, þat hauith red spekkys be-twen the nekke and þe hed…or a wyȝth fote, or þre fete.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)56/139 : To breke a sore tete or eny other sore wt an hede: Take sourdingh…& the white row of a rede herynge and honey and stamp all yfere & make a playster.
- a1450 Omnes gentes (Sln 2593)5 : Manye qwyte federes haȝt þe pye.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)151/18 : First y[e] must take of a wyht hors tayle þe lengest her þat may be had.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.57/8 : I wil my nevew Robert constabull haf Al my qwhite Swannes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)341/25 : He shall have a coronall of golde…and a whyght jarfawcon.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.439 : Thou shalt neuer kenne the bent of his bowe Though he seie with the þat white is þe crowe.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)182 : Fethers of goos whan thei falle or mout…Selle hem to fletchers, the grey with the whihte.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)364 : The sheep…To helpe of man berith furris blak & white.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)10/42 : Say, mall and stott, will ye not go? Lemyng, morell, white-horne, Io!
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1828 : Pale & blake with false cytryne, jnperfyȝte whyȝtte & rede, the pekokes fethers in colours gaye ye reynebowe wyll ouergoo.
- a1500 Apoc.(2) (Magd-C F.4.5)31/16 : Uyt [Apoc.(1): donne; F pales; Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171): And whanne þe lomb hadde opened þe fourþe seel…lo, a pale hors wente out].
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7954 : Þer wunieð i þan grunde tweien draken stronge…þe oder is milc-whit…þe oðer ræd alse blod.
- c1300 S.Leg.Faith(1) (LdMisc 108)80 : A coluere þare cam, so ȝwijt so milk.
- a1325 SLeg.Kenelm (Corp-C 145)189 : Þe luþer man smot of is heued…A coluere wiȝt so eny snou out of him gan teo.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1455 : Vnder þo stones beþ depe in mold To dragouns fast yfold; Þat on is white so milkes rem, Þat oþer is red so feris lem.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)823 : He schal bring to þe turment…A gerfauk þat is milke white.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3956 : Þar cam an hert…As wyt ase melkys fom.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2178 : Vpon his hand he bar…An egle tame as any lilie whyt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.133 : Whit was this crowe as is a snow whit swan.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4053 : Lyk asure were hise legges and his toon, Hise nayles whitter than the lylye flour.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.797 : Corvus…was thanne…Welmore whyt than eny Swan.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.409 : Amydde a tree…as whit as chalk…Ther sat a fawkon.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10380 : Joachim…Mad sacrifijs on maner suilk, First ten lambes, quitte als milk.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1198 : Upon a thikke palfrey, paper-whit…Sit Dido.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2116 : All theis geauntez…Ioynez on sir Ienitall and gentill knyghtez…Choppode thurghe cheualers on chalke-whytte stedez.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)60/14 : His fedris, the which weren wonte to be white as snowe, Phebus chaungid…in-to blak, in token of sorowe.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)458/20 : Sche sawe a lombe whitter þan anye snowe.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)823 : To that turnement he woll bringe…A Girfauk all swanne white.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)728 : A jerfaukon, whyt as swan, He schall haue to mede.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.157 : Off bestis sawe I mony divers kynd…The chalk-quhite ermyn tippit as the Iete.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.307 : Þat whyte splekked oxe þat men of Egipt hadde…was…i-cleped Apys.
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)28/114 : A white-maled hawke, a canvas male, a rede male.
- c1450 *Bk.Marchalsi (Hrl 6398)8b : If þat þe hors be white-spekkyd…he wyl durin fourti ȝer with þe medisyne þat appendit.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)215 : Tak iij maner of snayles: þe yelwe, þe blake, & þe whyte horned, & frye hem alle to geder, & gedere þe grece…for þys ys aprecyous oynement for alle maner goute.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)603/32 : Petulus: whyt foted et dicitur de equo.
d
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.55 : Phebus doth his bryghte bemes sprede Right in the white Bole.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)574 : The twelue syngnys off the yere…As the Ram, the qwyght Bole, the Tweyn Breder, [etc.].
- a1456 Allas for thought (Add 16165)257 : Þe Moone takeþe hir leve And to þe whyte bulle hir dresse.
e
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.459 : Victorious tree…That oonly worthy was for to bere The kyng of heuene with his woundes newe, The white lamb that hurt was with a spere…Me kepe and yeue me myght my lyf tamenden.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1771 : O martir souded to virginitee, Now maystow syngen folwyng euere in oon The white lamb celestial.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)316 : This Paschale Lamb withouten spot, al whiht…was Crist.
6a.
(a) Of a person, a part of the body: naturally fair-complexioned, light-skinned, pale; of the complexion, someone’s coloring or skin tone: fair, light; maken ~, to make (oneself, the face) white or pale, usu. by artificial means, lighten the skin tone of;
(b) in combs. and conventional comparisons, often used hyperbolically: chalk (milk) ~, white as chalk (milk); lilie ~, q.v.; ~ as fom (ivorie, snou, etc.), ~ so bon (flour, milkes fom, etc.); whittere than fom (morn-milk, snou, etc.); also, as quasi-adv.: ~ shininge so milk, gleaming whitely as milk, shining white as milk;
(c) of a person, someone’s head: white-haired, gray-haired; of the hair, beard, etc.: white, gray; ~ and hor, hor and ~; ~ hor (hored); also, in conventional comparisons: ~ as snou (swan, wol, etc.); also, as quasi-adv.: ~ iblouen, fig. white with age, grizzled, hoary; ~ hered, q.v.; blak berd or ~ berd, fig. the devil or God;
(d) comely, fair, attractive; also used as epithet [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (a) and (c)];
(e) fig. of a person, the soul: white or fair of color as an indication of moral purity; of someone’s face: fair-seeming (on the outside).
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)51/2 : Hire sulf bi-holden hire owune honden hwite.
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)32 : Wrmes sal ete mi wite þrote for al þi riche parage.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)222 : Mid his white fingres hire armes he vnfeld.
- a1325 SLeg.Mich.(Corp-C 145)786 : He…bileueþ þe body in fair hiu wiþ oþer rode of blode.
- ?c1275 Wyth was hys (Dur-C A.3.12)1 : Wyth was hys nakede brest.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)182 : So clene lond is engelond…þe veireste men in þe world þer inne beþ ibore, So clene & vair & pure ȝwit among oþere men hii beþ.
- c1325 Byrd one brere (KC Muniments 2.W.32)7 : Yhe is quit of lime.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.53 : Þe son beme al wey abideþ vppon þe men of Affrica…and makeþ hem…blak of skyn…Þe contrarie is of norþeren men, in þe whiche colde…makeþ hem…whitter [L candidiores].
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1325/33 : A blak womman haþ moche bettre melk and more norisshinge þan a white womman.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)362 : Herewith þow may þat swete þing Wynne…Blauncheflour with þe white syde.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3220 : Proude wymmen…Þat make hem feyrere þan god hem made with oblaunchere or ouþer floure To make hem whytter of coloure.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)1694 : He vsed no wemen brown ne quite.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3260 : Abowte cho whirllide a whele with hir whitte hondez.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)1111 : Þy flesch ys whyte and clene.
- c1475 Bk.Physiog.(Cmb Ll.4.14)225 : A fforheede swythe streit…In a white man…betokeneth a ffole, and unstedeffaste…In a dun man it betokeneth a ffull liberall man.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)225/33 : Loþ had he ben forto haue seen þos swete and qwyte hondys haue ben turnyd ynto fulthe and corrupcyon.
- a1500(1465) Leversedge Vision (Add 34193)110/30 : My face of wyȝt colour was as blak as any cole.
- a1500 Med.Bk.(2) (Sln 3153)85 : For to make þe face of man or woman whiȝte.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)3917 : For euere þe hatter þe lond is, The brouner is þe folk iwis, Þe colder lond þe whitter ay.
b
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)53 : Heo beoð so read so rose, so hwit so þe lilie.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)3/15 : He was whit so þe flur.
- c1300 SLeg.Eust.(LdMisc 108)321 : Þis holie men wel faire liggen huy founde So ȝwijht schininde so eni milk, þe bodies hole and sounde.
- a1350 Bytuene mersh (Hrl 2253)28 : Hire swyre is whittore þen þe swon.
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)77 : Heo haþ a mete myddel smal…eyþer side soft ase sylk, whittore þen þe moren-mylk.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)76 : Thy lemmon…is wyttore þen þe fom.
- c1330 St.Kath.(2) (Auch)281 : Þai made hir body blo & blac Þat er was white so alpes [vr. whales] bon.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5879 : Hyr skyn was as whyt so þe melkis fom.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)33/12 : A douȝter þei hadde…Whit so feþer of swan.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)178 : Þenne verez ho vp her fayre frount, Hyr vysayge whyt as playn yuore.
- c1350 St.Greg.(Cleo D.9)138/875 : Þe lady white so blosme on bow Here sone cust þer wel sone.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)78 : Þe thrid maister was litel man Faire of chere and white als swan.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)558 : Hir throte also white of hewe As snawe on braunche.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)26 : The erle had na child bot ane: Þat was a doghetir white als fame.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2081 : Scheo hadde a mayden childe: Sabren hit highte, as whit as glas.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)70 : In þe world was non here pere—Also whyt so lylye-flour.
- a1450 Of alle þe ioyus (Cmb Dd.11.89)89 : His [Christ’s] body that was so whyȝt as flour Tender & softe…Ther was…skourget, y-wonded, & al to-tore.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)468 : Hire chere…was chalke-quyte.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)199/1530h : Here lovely ffax shyned as selke, Her lovesom face, whytte as mylke.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)56/166 : She be fayr and whyte as swan.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)916 : Hir nose was streght and right, Hir eyen gray as glasse; Milke white was hir face.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)55 : Whyte sche was, as felde flowre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3028 : Hir forhed…Quitter to qweme þen þe…snaw.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3047 : Hir nose…was nobly shapyn…Hir chekes full choise, as the chalke white.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)55/12 : Ne swera þu þurh þin agen heafod, for þan þe þu þe ne miht wyrecen an hær þines fexes hwit oððe blac.
- a1300 Leuedi sainte (Add 27909)19 : Mi brune her is hwit bicume, ich not for hwucche leihe.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)265/145 : Hire her was hor and swiþe ȝwijȝt, as þei it were wolle.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.416 : A man he semed of michel miȝt…Wiþ white-hore heued & berd y-blowe.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.7 : His heued & his here was white as wolle & as snow.
- ?c1350 Ballad Sc.Wars (Jul A.5)21 : His heved was wyte als any swan.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Hos.7.9 : Whijt [L cani] heeris ben shed out in hym, and he knewe not.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.145 : Þe men of þat lond [Albania] beeþ i-bore wiþ white [L albo] here.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.332 : A frankeleyn was in his compaignye; Whit was his berd as is the dayesye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2045 : Here berdes weren hore and whyte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307b/b : Of fleume comeþ white [L albi] heer; of blood, rede; & of kynde malencoly, ȝolow, and of colera adusta, blak.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)93/7 : His berde & his heued ware als whitt als any wolle.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1027 : In this boke hath schadwyd the qwyght herys Off sapyens.
- (1450) Paston (Gairdner)2.152 : Yff they wolle not dredde ne obey that, then they shall be quyt by Blackberd or Whyteberd, that ys to sey, by God or the Devyll.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)156 : His berde and browes were blanchede full whitte.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)85 : Hir maisters were thider come…White and hoore all they were.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.231 : Þu myȝth nout makyn on of þin herys whyt ne blac.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.332 : Rys up…aforn þe whyt-horyd man.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)155 : A knyghte, þe wyche hyte Nestor…for age was whyte and hore.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)401 : Bohors toke so grete vengaunce…ffor he toke the heed all white hoor in the foreste of Darmauntes.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)8565 : He was a whytehore knyght.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)11129 : Thou art olde and whyte yblowe.
- 1532(?a1400) RRose (Thynne)356 : Her heed for hore was whyte as flour.
d
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.887 : ‘Ye, wis,’ quod fresshe Antigone the white.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1062 : Thow, Minerva the white, Yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)530 : My lufe es lelely lyghte On a lady wyghte, Þare es no beralle so brighte.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)788 : Y haue greet delyte Wyth þe for-to fyȝt, For þou seyst greet despyte, Þat woman half so whyt As þy lemman be ne myȝt, And Y haue on yn toune.
e
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)5/8 : Ich am blac & tauh hwit…Vnseaulich wið vten & schene wið innen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7333 : Falssemblant…hadde of tresoun al his face Ryght blak withynne and white withoute.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9171 : In þe worlde is no þing so white Of colour as is a good spirit, But a synful soule and wicke Is als blak as any picke.
6b.
Chiefly med. & pathol.: (a) of a person, the face: having an unnaturally pale or white color or complexion due to illness, weakness, emotional distress, etc.; of the complexion: wan, pallid, unhealthily pale;
(b) of throes of distress: ?accompanied by pallor; feveres ~, a state of lovesickness causing or accompanied by paleness [cp. blaunche fever, s.v. fever n. 3.(a)].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)37/31 : Þisne læcedon mann sceal do þan mann, þeo…hæfet hywt hyw.
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)36/669 : He fond Reymild sittende, Sore wepende, Whyt so eny sonne.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2175 : Þe Monekus comen…and þis holi bodi toke And leiden…In on bere; Þat face was ȝwyȝt…and no blod nas þar-inne.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)299/29 : Ȝonge men þat ben white & pale…ne ben not couenable to be lete blood.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Num.12.10 : Marie apperide whijt [WB(1): shynynge; L candens] with lepre as snow.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2369 : He laie þus in his þrowes white.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)41 : I am so alayn [?read: shaken] with the feueres white, Of al this May yet slept I but a lyte.
7.
Chiefly anat., med., & pathol.: (a) of an organ, a part of the body, tissue, a bodily humor, bodily fluid: white or whitish in color, light-colored, pale-colored; also, pathologically or unnaturally white or light-colored so as to be indicative of a morbid condition; as noun: clear spittle, saliva not discolored by blood [quot. a1425 *Treat.Uroscopy, 2nd]; also, in iron. comparison: ~ as get, of teeth: discolored, blackened; ~ eien, light-colored eyes; ben igrouen over-al ~, of a horse’s eye: to be all covered over with a white growth or film;
(b) of a skin eruption, festered wound, morbid growth, etc.: white, whitish, pale-colored; ~ perle, a disease causing a whitish film, spot, or tumor on the eye, ?cataract; ?also, as quasi-adv.: muten as ~ as chalk, of a hawk: to void chalk-white excrement;
(c) in names of specific diseases: ~ dropesie, ?dropsy, brought on by an excess of the humor phlegm; ~ flowe, q.v.; ~ lepre, ?psoriasis; ~ morphea, morphea ~, a skin disease characterized by leprous or scurfy eruptions arising from the humor phlegm; also, leprosy;
(d) in names of specific medicinal preparations: ~ collirie, a white-colored medicine applied to the eyes in the form of a lotion, salve, or powder; ~ oinement, a white-colored ointment; ~ unguent (of lim, a white-colored ointment containing litharge (lime).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)43/27 : His migga byþ hwit, and he sceal ȝelomelice miȝan.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)51/12 : And þæt he myhþ byþ sweart oþþer hyt [read: hwyt] oþþer read, forþan of yfelre adle becymþ þis þing on þan mann.
- a1325 SLeg.Becket (Corp-C 145)681/2163 : Þe wite brain was ymeng wiþ þe rede blod þere.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)153/32 : Miche blood in þe body brediþ wondir eueles in men but it be þe sonnere ivoyded by kinde oþir in phisik, as it fareþ in þe blood þat hatte sanguis menstrualis: þe white blood in wommen, for to g[r]ete moisture & defaute of hete if it is iholde ouer dewe tymes…is cause & occasioun of ful gret greues.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)67/14 : Hise iȝen in his heed weren turned vp so doun, & þe blood come out at þe wounde whiȝt as whey.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.134 : Now awaketh wratthe with two whyte eyen.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.49.12 : Fayrer ben the eyen of hym than wyn, and the teeth of hym whitter than mylk.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)52a/a : Priapus: a whyte pyntel.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)226/2457 : Uryn ȝalow, id est whyte, & whyt a lytyll ȝalowed…sais excess of an egre fleume.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)369/5720 : Ȝif þe spatle appere red in þe bygynnynge in þe seyknes…it sais þat kynd wyll fulfyll digestioun o þe mater by þe 7 day & turn it into whyt.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)48/34 : Þe pappes…ben compounde oþer made of white glandulous fleische and spongious and off veines and arteries and sinewes.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)81/26 : That quytter…is preysed þe which is whyte and euen by al wantynge euel smel.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)62 : Whan they gone to prevy, they be diliuered of a fleumatike mater that is whiȝt and thykke.
- a1450 Liber Cophonis (Add 34111)33/170 : To make faire þe teþe and whyte.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)145/783 : Ȝif an hors with fallynge or with rubbynge or with a stroke be y-hurte in þe eye so þat he be growyn ouer-al white, Take…ground-yuy & grynd it riȝt smal & droppe…a litel clene water þer-to.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.201 : Hire teeth ben whight as ony jete.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)13/16 : Mania is an-oþer sikenes of the…brayn…of clene flevme it comeþ neuermore, for flevme is white as þe brayn is, and þerfor it may not appeiren it.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)27a/a : The fleisch of þe tunge is whiȝt.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)53b/a : His vomyte is white or pale; his egestioun ys white or þicke or wyndy.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)230/2 : Spleket eyen and whyte eyen tokenyth dredfulnesse.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)102/27 : Omwhile the vtter cercle [of the eye] is blak, and that with rede, and omwhile whitter.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3055 : Hir tethe…were…Alse qwyte & qwem as any qwalle bon.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.21.20 : Offre he not bred to his god ne go he to þe seruyce of hym ȝif he were blyynde…ȝif wyyt perle [L albuginem] hauynge in þe yȝe.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.632 : Ther nas…Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)271a/b : A long spiþere…doþ away þe whyte perle [L albuginem] of þe yhen.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)247/4 : Macula is a wem in a mannys iȝe, & summe be white.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)250/15 : In þis manere þou schalt knowe it [cataract]: þou schalt se a maner colour vpon þe poynt of þe siȝt of þe iȝe, þat wole sumtyme be whit & sumtyme…þe colour of askis & sumtyme a litil grene.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)251/8 : Þou shalt se þan vpon his iȝe a whit þing as it were a peerle.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.13.19 : In the place of the bocche aperith a fel wounde, whijt or derk reed.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)130a/a : Adiposam…propreli is of þe kynde of maculez, i. spottez, which is white…like to…snowe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)112b/a : Summen clepen macula a white spotte þe whiche is in þe vttermest partye of þe cornea.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)279/33 : Colde vlcers ben white and softe.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)389/37 : If þai [skin infections] ben white, þai ben cleped albaras.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)111/352 : Take a bal al hote & þrast in-to þe fyke, & when it is cold ley an-oþer to, al hote, with-oute delay, & so…oon aftur an-oþer til þe fyke bi-gynne to wexe white.
- a1475 Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)28 : Yf sche mutes also whyte as chalke wt a lytyll blake in þe myddes, than is sche wele in þe bowell.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)25b/21 : Apostume…is whit and nesshe so if þou puttist it with thi fyngur, thowe shalt make a pyt.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)100b/a : Som morphea is white & comeþ of fleume.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)216a/a : Þe broþ þerof halpeþ aȝenis coolde and white dropesye.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)195/23 : Þe white morphu is curid wiþ purgacioun þat purgiþ roten fleume.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)83/17 : It availeþ in medicynez agaynz þe scabbe, þe tetre, and white morfee.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)389/33 : Haly Abbas clepede the lepre þe white morphewe.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)391/21 : In þe white morphewe…it byhoueþ…þat he eschewe blode laste and þat flewme be voyded.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)80 : Þat shal hele þe morpheu, be hit whit or blake.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)233 : But he was sone delyveryd owte of preson by cause þat he was agyd and infecte with a whyte lepyr.
- a1500 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 19674)79 : For the Morfewe white or blakke.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)174a/a : 2a. fourme is vnguentum album, i. white vnguent, of al þe comountee…4a. fourme is vnguentum de calce, i. white vnguent of lyme.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)110a/b : Putte within þe yȝe colirium album, þat is to seie, þe white colirie, wiþ wommans milke þat norisschiþ a knaue childe.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)184b/b : Þe secounde is putte þe white collirie for akkeþ of yȝen.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)105/6 : Vnguentum album, i. þe white oynement, and þe metallyne oynementes…sufficen to vlceraciouns.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)307/3 : After þe clensynge, fulfille þe holowness wiþ…medecynes þat maken þe flesche to growe, as is þe white colere, i. a confeccioun for þe eyȝen, in þe which is opium wiþ womanis mylke or with þe white of an ay.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)320/21 : It sufficeþ to wasshe it [ulcer] wiþ water of rose and of plantayne…and to laye þerto the white oynementz.
8a.
Chiefly cook. & med.: (a) of a dish, dough, a food, oil, a medicinal preparation: white or whitish in color, light-colored; ?also, uncolored; ?also, as quasi-adv.: frien ~, to fry (batter) so that or until it becomes white; ~ mete, q.v.;
(b) of fruits, vegetables: of a light-colored variety, pale or whitish in color; ~ appel, a variety of apple with a light-colored skin; also, an unripe apple [1st quot.]; ~ lekes, the white part of leeks; ~ pese [see also pese n. 1.(b)];
(c) in names of food products distinguished by color or degree of refinement: ~ acete (vinegre), white wine vinegar; ~ bred (lof, lof-bred), bread (a loaf of bread) made from white flour from which the bran has been removed, white bread (loaf); whitest bred, the finest white bread; ~ bred cromes, cromes of ~ bred, white breadcrumbs; ~ crustes, white bread crusts; ~ flour, refined flour, flour from which all the bran has been removed; ~ flour of ris; ~ grese (seime), lard or similar animal grease [see also gres(e n. 1.(b)]; ~ hering, herring salted but not smoked [see also hering n. 1.(b)]; ~ honi, ?honey made by bees before swarming; ~ poudre (douce, a light-colored mixture of ground spices (and sugar; ~ sour (bred, ~ sour lof, leavened white bread (loaf of bread), white sourdough bread; ~ sugre, sugre ~, white, highly refined sugar; ~ wine; almaundes ~, blanched almonds; poudre of ~ aisel, powdered tartar produced from white wine vinegar;
(d) of grain: pale-colored because ripe; also, fig. of fields or lands: golden-ripe.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)50.34/3 : Nim flour of corne and of ayren & make past, icoloured wyþ saffron þe halue dole þe past, & þe halue dole qwytt…rolle on a bord ase þunne ase parchemin, & rolle rounde al aboutee as a kake.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)113.69/5 : Lete lardes: Take persel, and grynde with…mylke; medle it with ayren and lard ydyced…If þou wolt haue ȝelow, do þerto safroun and no persel; If þou wolt haue it whyte, nouþer persell ne safroun, but do þerto amydoun.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)115.76/3 : Makke: Take drawen benes and seeþ hem wel; take hem vp of the water and cast hem in a morter; Grynde hem al to doust til þei be white as eny mylke.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)578/27 : Be it [oil] beten with a sclyse so mykel til þat it be made white [L albificetur].
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)25 : Take caluys fete, & skalde hem in fayre water, an make hem alle þe whyte.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)64/158 : The iij maner off makynge…is for to take sugre and whynces…and none hony ne perys…and this shall be whitter.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)827 : Mortrowis of houndfische & Rice standynge white, Mameny, mylke of almondes, Rice rennynge liquyte.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)45 : Then fry it [batter] welle and whit and somwhat craking and serve it furthe in dishes with sugur ther on.
b
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)239/8 : Nim…mid þinre wyn-stran handa…þat ys, mid þuman & mid hringfingrum, hwitne æppel þe þanne ȝyt ne readiȝe.
- a1400 SMChron.(Add 19677)999 : Dan Symon ȝede and gaderede frut; Forsoþe hit were plumes whit.
- ?c1400 Form Cury (Dur-U Cosin V.3.11)98.2/1 : To make blaunche porre: Tak whyte lekys & perboyle hem & hewe hem smale with oynouns.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)114.72/1 : Pesoun of Almayne: Take white pesoun; waisshe hem.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)95a/b : Rasis…praiseþ to this a white onyon cocte and beten wiþ butir.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)33 : Take Whyte Pesyn, & hoole hem…þan sethe hem with Almaunde mylke vppe.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)757 : Whot appuls & peres with sugre Candy.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)283 : Brendan…brouȝte heom alle mete And ane wel faire ȝwite lof.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)45.1/2 : Blanc desir: Milke of alemaundes, flour of rys, braun of chapoun, gyngere itried, hwit wyn; vchon of þoes schulen boillen in a clene possenet.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)45.3/2 : Anesere: Milke of alemauns, flour of rys, braun of chapoun, alemaundes qwyte [F blaunches] ifried & idon þrin.
- (c1350) Doc.Oxf.in OHS 73134 : A ferþyng lof of furth ryiȝt whete shall waye a ferþyng white sowr lof and a half…And a ferþyng lof of alle kyn corne shal weye to white sowr loaves.
- (1365) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.71 : [One loaf called] gretterwhitlof.
- 1381 Dc.257 Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)64.14/4 : Nym þe lyre of…capouns & grynd hem smal; kest þerto wite grese & boyle it.
- (1384-5) *Acc.R.Abbotsbury () : 1 album panem et alium Whitsour.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1148 : Som tyme floures sprynge as in a mede, Some tyme a vyne and grapes white and rede.
- a1400 Add.15236 Recipes(3) (Add 15236)259.153 : Frixetur sacculus in sepo porcino, i. wyt seym vel wyt gres, vel in oleo olive vel in butiro.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.64 : He sholde make whitbred [F blanc pain] and wel y-bake.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.229 : Kokes and here knaves crieden, ‘hote pyes, hote!’…Tauerners ‘a tast for nouht!’ tolden þe same, ‘Whit wyn of oseye and of gascoyne.’
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)108.47/3 : Mortrews blank: Take pork and hennes and seeþ hem…Bray almaundes blaunched…and alye the fleissh with the mylke and white flour of rys and boile it.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)109.52/4 : Pynnonade: Take almaundes iblaunched…and set on the fire…cast þerto ȝolkes of ayren ydrawe; Take pynes yfryed in oyle oþer in grece and do þerto white powdour douce, sugur and salt.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)124.118/3 : For to make chawdoun for lent…make a lyse of white crustes and oynouns ymynced.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)137.175/5 : Tart de brymlent: Take fyges & raysouns…and grinde hem smale with apples & peres clene ypiked…cast hem in a pot wiþ wyne and sugur; Take…samoun ysode oþer codlyng oþer haddok, & bray hem smal & do þerto white powdours & hoole spices and salt.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)125a/a : Lac virginis…is made of litarge & tempred wiþ white acete distilled with a filtre.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)160b/a : Take ane ounce of crummes of þe whittest brede þou maye fynde & halfe ane ounce of opium & confecte hem with cowe mylke.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)633/17 : Take…of þe beste white vynegre.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)70/33 : Tak whete mele & gude wyn & do whitte sayme þer-to.
- (1441) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)258 : All maner of brede…thei can make of whete, that is to wete, white loofe brede, wastell bunnys, and all maner of whyte brede.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)29 : Hwyte Hony or Sugre.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)81 : Medle þe iuus of ache with whitbrede crummes.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)192/8 : Stampe them smale and temper them with wȝyth wyne.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)236/4 : Take þen wyte fluwur and a party of þe onyment þerto and boyle hem to-gedyr þat yt be…thycke as growel.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)73 : Take mylke and yolkes of egges and ale and drawe hem thorgh a straynour with white sugur or blak.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1783 : There men fyndith manna moch…Hit is congeled of þe dewe In the maner of sugre white And swete.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)130 : Take crownes of whitsour bred, smal myed on a gratour, & do hit in a skelet.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)223 : Item, poudre of whyte aisill, in english arguyll, 1 parte, & ij partes of salt.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)139/3 : Take white vinegre and þe haskys and make leye of hem.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57207 : And my mastyr assigned him to take of Deves wyffe xxxiij s. iiij d., and a barelle of whygth herenge.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)642 : White herynge in a dische, if hit be seaward & fresshe, your souereyn to ete in seesoun of yere þeraftur he wille Asche.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)45 : To mak samartard tak wetted cruddes…mak ther of a good batere that it be rynynge; then tak whit grece in a pan and…tak out the batter…let it ryn into the grece…then fry it welle.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)99a/b : Do þerto…of crummes of white breed wiþ a litil sutil poudre of Bole armoniac.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)128a/a : Putte j li. of good white hony wel and fynely clarified.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)167/37 : Take…of þe jwse of sqwete applys…and of qwyte swgyr þat is clene.
- (a1500) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8562 : No bakar yt bakys qwhytte brede schall bake brown brede for to sell, nor he yt bakys brown brede schall bake no qwhyte brede.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)422 : For swellynge of legges: Tak simere wort, groundeswilly, and fat malues…and seth hem in red wyne or in drestes for a mane; for a woman, in whyte wyne or whyte wyne dreistes.
d
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)John 4.35 : Se ȝe the feeldis [WB(1): regiouns or cuntrees], for now thei ben white to repe [WB(1): ripe corn; L messem].
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)81/23 : Þei were rype on-to religion lich as corn is white to heruest.
8b.
Cook. In names of specific dishes, confections, etc.: ~ anis, ?a light-colored confection containing anise; ~ leche, ?a light-colored or meatless custardlike dish usu. served in slices; ~ milates, ?a meatless or dairy version of a pastylike dish containing eggs, breadcrumbs, spices, and saffron baked in a crust; ~ mortreues, a dish, perh. of light color, containing boiled, minced chicken or pork, almond milk, and spices; ~ sauce, a sauce, prob. light-colored, containing blanched almonds; ~ sore, ?= blank-de-sore, q.v.
Associated quotations
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)119.98/4 : Erbowle: Take bolas & scald hem with wyne…Clarify hony & do þerto with powdour fort and flour of rys…& florissh it with whyte aneys.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)133.160/1 : Whyte [vr. wythe] mylates: Take ayren…powdour fort, brede igrated & safroun, [etc.].
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)19 : Whyte Mortrewes: Take Almaunde Mylke & Floure of Rys, & boyle it y-fere…take Capoun & Hennys & sethe hem & bray hem…smal…& ly it with an Ey…& also a-lye it vppe with þe mylke of Almaundys, & make hem chargeaunt as Mortrewes schuld be…& caste canel a-boue…Blank pouder is beste.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)28 : Whyte Mortrewys of Porke: Take lene Porke & boyle it, blaunche Almandys & grynd hem…& lye hem vppe with þe Flowre of Rys.
- ?a1450 Ashm.Cook.Bk.(Ashm 1439)110 : White sauce for capons y-sode: Take almoundis y-blaunchid and grynde þem al to douste; tempre it up wiþ verious and poudre of gingere and melle it forþe.
- c1450 Brut-1431(1) (Eg 650)447/32 : A leyche called ‘whyte leyche’.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)141 : Lesche damaske, lampray in paste…a lesche callyd whythe leysche.
- a1500 Feast Tott.(Cmb Ff.5.48)40 : Þer come in iordans in iussall Als red as any russall…And blobsterdis in white sorre Was of a nobull curry.
9.
(a) Of persons, saints, the sun, sunbeams, etc.: brightly shining, brilliant, radiant; also as epithet [quot. c1380, which could also be construed as sense 6a.(d)]; also, as quasi-adv.: shinen ~, to shine brightly or brilliantly;
(b) of metal, a metal object: bright, shining, gleaming, brilliantly polished, burnished [occas. difficult to distinguish from sense 4a.(a)]; of metallic cloth: shiny, lustrous; shire ~, of a sword: bright shining, dazzlingly bright.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)114/32 : Heo scinæð hwite & brihte beforen Godes eaȝum þurh monie haliȝe dæde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15517 : Nis nan feirure wifmon þa whit sunne scineð on.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.115 : And right so as…heuene is swift and round and eek brennynge, Right so was faire Cecilie the white Ful Swift and bisy euere in good werkynge And round and hool in good perseuerynge And brennyng euere in charite ful brighte.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.435 : Þe sevenþe day of Iuyn were i-seyn foure white cercles aboute þe sonne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.10.25 : Whosoevere may knowen thilke of blisfulnesse, he schal wel seyn that the white beemes of the sonne ne ben nat cleer.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)317/17 : Dominacions brought a corowne of a wonderfulle bewte & þareyn were mens heedis wonderelye whiet ande mayde fulle fayre.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)146a : Huy…were sudeynlych transfygurud and ychangud into a gloryus lyknesse and schap in worþe wondur bryȝte and weyte.
b
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)129 : Florice het nime a coppe of siluer whiȝt, And a mantel of scarlet.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.10.6 : I…sawȝ…oo man…his eeȝen as a laumpe brennynge and his armys and whiche thing is dounward vn to the feet as fourme of brasse waxinge whyte [L æris candentis].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.19 : Flaundreþ loueþ þe wolle of þis lond…Europa loueþ and desireþ þe white metal [L æra…nivea] of þis lond.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)p.114 : Here entrethe Anima as a mayde, in a wyght clothe of golde gyedly [?read: gysely] purfyled wyth menyver.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)3912 : Syr wythte hys swerd, wyche was Ryȝth welle Wyth golde and perell Reche be-gone.
10.
Fig. Of words: eloquent [quot. c1450]; fair-seeming, blandishing; insincere, specious.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1661 : O þou…with alle þi wordis white…I merueile how þou art so bolde To presume myn eris to offende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4272 : Hir wordis white, softe, & blaundyshynge Wer meynt with feynyng & with flaterie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6160 : Þerfore be war, no man him for-swere As Grekis dide Troiens to deceyve…It were but veyn…to write Her feyned oþes nor her wordis whyte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.901 : If a fool were in a jalous rage, I nolde setten at his sorwe a myte, But feffe hym with a fewe wordis white Anothir day, whan that I myghte hym fynde.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1567 : God help me so, ye caused al this fare…for al youre wordes white.
- c1429 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)358 : And to the forsaide synne sho [Eve] eked an othere full grete, Hire husband be glosinge when sho to syne wald trete, For…No doubt sho broght him inne with faging wordes white [L blandis].
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)2.1625 : But oo alas, the Retorykes swete Of petrak Fraunces…And Tullyus, with all his wordys white…Is dede, alas, and passed into faate.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.136 : Fy on all suich…Thair thoughtis blak hid under wordis quhite.
11.
Gram. The word ‘whit’; the comp. adj. ‘whittere’.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Peniarth Comparacio(2) (Pen 356B)66/16 : Fo[r] he betokenethe quality or quantite and ys þe ground of all oder degreis of comparison, as ‘wys’, ‘white’, ‘long’, ‘shorte’.
- c1450 Peniarth Comparacio(2) (Pen 356B)66/23 : How know ȝe þe comparatyf degre? For he passethe his posityf wyt þis aduerbe magis, and endithe in Englisse in ‘-ir’, as ‘whitur’…þat is to say ‘whittur: more white.’
12.
(a) In occupational terms: ~ bakere, a baker who bakes with white, refined flour, a baker of white bread; ~ lether teuere, one who prepares or dresses white leather; ~ tawiere, q.v.;
(b) in surnames;
(c) in street names; also, ?in name of a stream [last quot.]; ~ freres, the name of the Carmelite convent in Fleet Street in London or the district surrounding it;
(d) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.273-4].
Associated quotations
a
- (1441) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)258 : White bakers shall bake no hors brede…broune bakers shall bake whete brede as it comyth grounde fro the mylle withoute ony bultyng of the same.
- -?-(1384) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9682 : Joh. Prychet, whit-lether-tewer.
b
- (1180) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames ()378 : Simon de Wit Acra.
- (1197) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames378 : William de Whitsand.
- (1202) Assize R.Lin.in Lin.RS 22772a : Willelmus Quitgos.
- (1214) CRR(2) 7273 : Ricardus Pwithand.
- (1224) Abbrev.Plac.Hen.III103 : Philippus Wytberd.
- (1248) Select Pleas Manor.in Seld.Soc.214 : Willelmus de Witeway.
- (1250) Bk.of Fees1220 : Galfridus Witstabbe.
- (1256) Doc.Ireland in RS 53136 : Willielmus le white de Conal.
- (1260) Close R.Hen.III324 : Ricardus le Wytesmith.
- (1267) Pat.R.Hen.III146 : Laurence Whytpens.
- (1268) Pat.R.Hen.III216 : William Whtfot.
- (1279) Nickname in LuSE 55187 : Ad. Vitheued.
- (1280-1343) *in Pilkington Surn.() : Whylok.
- (1284) Court R.Ramsey163 : Agatha le Quite.
- (1298) Close R.Edw.I202 : Daniel Whitlether.
- (1303) Acc.Chester in LCRS 5930 : Alice atte Whitoke.
- (1309) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames ()378 : Cissota de Wistones.
- (1313) Sub.R.Bristol(1) in BGAS 19224 : Walterus le White, Irmongere.
- (1313) Sub.R.Bristol(1) in BGAS 19263 : Johannes le White, Taillor.
- (1317) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames379 : William Hwitheued.
- (1326) Nickname in LuSE 55189 : Ad. Whitphether.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames379 : John Weytefot.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 35228 : Withyheued.
- (1344) Nickname in LuSE 55 ()187 : Al. Qwhytheved.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 454 : Willelmus Wygthflessh.
- (1346) Nickname in LuSE 55186 : Agnes White Brede.
- (1366) in Kristensson ME Top.Terms82 : Sym del Quitstones.
- (1378) Nickname in SAU 63 ()202 : Joh. Wythymay.
- (1394) Nickname in LuSE 55188 : Emmota Qweythand.
- ?a1400 Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.153 : Willelmo Whitwatere.
- (1428) Acc.St.Mary Stamford (Vsp A.24)180 : Johannis whytside.
- (1444) Court R.Hastings in Sus.RS 37 ()205 : John Whitbaker.
- a1500(c1272-90) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 88 ()21 : Will. de la Wiccirch.
- ?a1500 Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.3318 : Willelmo Wyhttewatere.
- -?-(1333) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9628 : Willelmus Whitebrow, plasterer.
- -?-(1385) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9683 : Willelmus Wyghtblode, wright.
c
- (1226) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.()98 : Whitecruchestrete.
- (1309-10) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.()98 : Whitecrouchestrate.
- (1348-9) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.528 : In la Whitecrouchestret.
- (c1444) Paston2.13 : As for my maister Fastolffes housyng in þe White Freres, a man of þe Temple called Wynter lythe þerin but he hath not hired it.
- (1449) Deed Rufford in Chs.Sheaf (1879)193 : Fro thence leynially to the hede of the whytestrynde whech hase a pytte maide a boue hyt.
d
- (c1135) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)450 : Qwithofhavene.
- (1166) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.) ()247 : Wicherche.
- (1169-70) in Fägersten PNDor.()188 : Wichteweia.
- (1173-80) EPNSoc.49 (Brks.) ()177 : Wythele.
- (1185) EPNSoc.33 (West Riding Yks.) ()117 : Withekirke.
- (1190) in Ekwall PNLan.()108 : Quistan.
- (1194) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.) ()64 : Watfeld.
- (1195) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.) ()167 : Wiȝestan.
- (1196) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)167 : Wizestan.
- (c1200) EPNSoc.2 (Bck.)86 : Hucherche.
- (1201) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.) ()279 : Wittewell.
- (1202) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.) ()63 : Wutcherch.
- (1218-19) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.) ()63 : Vitchirche.
- (1235) EPNSoc.13 (War.)190 : Wihtenasshe.
- (1236) EPNSoc.10 (Nhp.) ()64 : Wutefeld.
- (1246) in Ekwall PNLan.108 : De Quicstan.
- (1251) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)60 : Wetelegh.
- (1278) in Fägersten PNDor.()188 : Wytteweye.
- (1285) EPNSoc.13 (War.)168 : Qwytelege.
- (1297) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.) ()456 : Whytston.
- (1322) in Bannister PNHerf.()205 : Wytheney.
- (1326) EPNSoc.13 (War.)190 : Wythinhash.
- (1333) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)456 : Whiston.
- (1346) EPNSoc.49 (Brks.) ()70 : Qwyt Waltham.
- (1370) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.) ()247 : Whitechurche juxta Tavystoke.
- (1378) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.56 : [At a place in the sea called] Whitsandhope.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.177 : [2 pastures called] Mageford [and] Whitfeld.
- (1405) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.) ()237 : West Whyteleghe.
- (?a1450) Lond.Charterhouse in Archaeol.58306 : Seynt John medue þt is callyd White Welle.
- (1468) EPNSoc.49 (Brks.) ()70 : Whitwaltham.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Pmb-O.21 Artist.Recipes (Pmb-O 21) 274/28 : To make a gray colour. Tak wyth led and inke and medyl hem togedyr.
Note: Additional quot., sense 4b.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 7.(d)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. white collyrie.