Middle English Dictionary Entry
wī̆thī n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wī̆thī n. Also withie, witheg(e, witie, widi(e, wethi(e, whithi, (gen. error) wyrthys & (in names) widege, wedi; pl. withies, etc. & withẹ̄s, (in names) witheies, whitheies, whitheges. |
| Etymology | OE wīþig, LOE (in place names) wīdi-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. with(e n.(1), withien n.
1.
(a) A tree of the genus Salix, a willow; ~ tre; ~ bed [OE wīþig-bed(d], a place where willows grow, an osier bed; ~ bough; ~ leves;
(b) the blossom of a willow tree;—also coll.;
(c) the wood of a willow tree;
(d) a pliant branch or shoot of a willow, withe, an osier; also, a rope presumably made of such branches twisted together; ~ col, ?charcoal made from burnt branches of willow used for marking cloth;
(e) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.271].
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)545/34 : Salix: wiþi.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)37/28 : He is ase þe wiði þet sprutteð ut ðe betere þet me hine ofte croppeð.
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(1) (Add 15236)118/316 : Ytea, salix idem: anglice, wythy.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.163 : Wytie [glossing AF (Cmb): sauz].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.136.2 : In wiþies in þe myddes of it wee hangeden vp oure instrumentis.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1042/2 : The wythy hatte salix and is a tree.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1043/9 : It is nouȝt siker to slepe vnder þe wythy [vr. weþie] tree.
- 1420 *Cart.Chertsey (PRO) [OD col.]41b : Duas acras terre et dimidiam super le Whythybed.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.412 : Take an arm gret withi bought [vr. bough] Too cubit long or more.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)148/441 : Sethe leves of wythye with oyle and lay þer the here wantith.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)37/2 : Take þe flowris of hawethorn and þe flowrys of wythege, and make þer-of a watir.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)995 : Wethy leves, grene otes…Cast þem hote in to a vesselle.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)174/13 : He come by a wydye-tre and made þerof a goode ȝerde.
- a1500 *Medulla (Hrl 2270)88b/b : Salix: a withy [Cnt: whithin].
b
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)348/3 : None oþir watir schal be ihelde on þe heed but in cas watir of roses oþir of withies.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)244/20 : He mote…haue…þe sauour of wiþi [L flores salicis] & campher.
c
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)87b : Wythi ys dry in kynde; take the tendyrst of him and stampe hit and hit stanche blody woundys.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)121/5 : Þe oost moot eueremore haue wiþ him caried…liȝt bordes also & tables of popiler, wythy, & oþer liȝt wode.
- (1463) Acc.All Sts.Tilney27 : Lede nayle & wyrthys [read: wythys] nayle.
d
- a1300 Gloss.Bibbesw.(SeldSup 74)p.122 : Withees [glossing AF (Cmb): becheus, vr. braeus].
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1042/15-18 : Þere [read: Þey] suche wythies beþ stronge, þey beþ nought so pliaunt as þe lasse, and þerfore þey breketh þe sonnere whanne þey beþ ywoxe oþer ywounde to make wythies and bondes; And some wythies beth lasse and more smalle and plyaunt þan oþre and passynge plyaunt, and beþ persch, and beþ so pliaunt þat þey breketh nouȝt, but þey beeþ ymade strengere with wythyng and wyndyng as þreede is with twynyng, and þerwiþ me byndeþ vynes, hoopes, and tonnes.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)444 : A mawnger þer he fande…Þerto his mere he bande With the withy.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)138a : A Wethy: Restis.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)186 : Full of leues, to se, a gret mervayll with grene wythies ybounden wundirly.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)1/17 : Portrayȝe þy cloþ with wethi-col, and þenne wype a-wey þe ore ef þy cloþ.
e
- (1155-62) EPNSoc.62-63 (Shr.) ()332 : Withiforde.
- (1202) in Ekwall Dict.EPN483 : Witheges.
- (1230) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)370 : Withiham.
- (1241) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames ()388 : Adam de la Wythye.
- (1244) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)305 : Wydimore.
- (1255-63) EPNSoc.62-63 (Shr.) ()332 : Wediforde.
- (1272-1307) in Coplestone-Crow PNHerf.()100 : La Horewythy.
- (1279) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames388 : Richard atte Widege; Robert Widie.
- (1316) Name in LuSE 78 ()181 : In the Whitheges.
- (1325) Doc.in Kennett Par.Antiq.(1818) [OD col.]1.567 : Item tres acræ apud le Whitheyes.
- (1325) Doc.in Kennett Par.Antiq.(1818) [OD col.]1.574 : Dimidia roda jacet atte Witheyes.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 78181 : Atte Witheg; atte Withege.
- (1332) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)336 : Alan atte Wythye.
- (1381) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.88 : [The liberty of the town of Corf extends from the ditch on the east of Swyneswell keeping on the west of the ditch of the land of Alfrington towards the south as far as] la Wythie.
- (1383) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)188 : Wedyhale.
- (1408) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.) ()575 : Wythybrigg.
- a1500(1370) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 88 ()268 : La Withygeyte.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Glo.34.Add Stain.Recipes (Glo 34 Add.) 228/7 : Cast þy bordul with a lyne, and þan purtreye wit weþy, and þan wype away þe hore of þy cloþ þat þe purtreyng may be sene.
- c1465 Eg.2852 Stain.Recipes (Eg 2852) 103/12 : Streyne þy cloþ vppon a bed of hey..and cast þy bordel wiþ a lyne, and þenne portrayȝe þy cloþ with wethi-col.
Note: Need dates, sense (d).