Middle English Dictionary Entry
wọ̄de-wōse n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wọ̄de-wōse n. Also wodewese, wodwos(e, wodwous, wodwis(s)e, (?gen.) wodwois, wodwouse & (in surname) wudewuse. |
| Etymology | OE wudu-wāsa, wude-wāsa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A wild creature of woods and wasteland, human or semihuman in form and savage in appearance;—also coll.;
(b) a figure of such a creature woven into or embroidered upon fabric, sculpted, or otherwise represented;—also coll.; ?also, a heraldic figure of a naked man [quot. 1381 Will Durham];
(c) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.13.21 : Þer shuln dwelle þere ostricchis, & wodewoosis [WB(2): heeri beestis; L pilosi] shuln lepen þere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.50.39 : Þerfor dwellen shul dragounis with wodewosis [alt. to: fonnyd wode þeeues; WB(2): fonned wielde men ethir fendis in licnesse of wodewosis; L faunis ficariis].
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)14.261/209 : Þis Breusteres douhtur…tolde þe folk as wodewose wilde who gat on hire þis forseyde childe.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)737/4 : Þereinne ben satires, wodewoses [L pilosis], tigres and oþere horrible bestes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)721 : Sumwhyle wyth wormez he werrez…Sumwhyle wyth wodwos.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.Is.(Cld E.2)34.14 : Fendis: that is fendis, incubi, other wodewosis, as doctours seien.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)531 : Wodewese [KC: wowyse; Phil: woodwose]: Silvanus, satirus.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7691 : Partanope hath now for-sake The wod-wous [vrr. wodwouse, wodwose, wodwoys] lyfe.
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042)71 : Ane hathell vp stondes, Wroghte als a wodwyse, alle in wrethyn lokkes.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)201/25 : Þe kyng of Frauns daunsed in his halle with iiii knites, and was arayed lich a wodwous, hauing a streyt cote dippid in rosyn and pich.
b
- (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3141 : Pro Rege…duo de veluetto albo…cum garteriis de blu & diasprez per totam campedinem cum wodewoses.
- (1366) *Issue Roll (PRO) (Easter 39 Edw.III, 31 June) [OD col.] : [A cup silver gilt…enamelled in the bottom with two] wodewosez.
- (1381) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.2 ()37 : Et viij tapecia lanea ejusdem lecti et coloris cum Wodwysse in armis ejusdem intextis, quae Prior retinuit.
- (1381) Will York in Sur.Soc.4121 : Lego…Thomae de Wodestoke…lectum…broudatum cum signis de wodewese et arboribus.
- (1415-16) Acc.Met.Col.in Archaeol.J.664 : Pro 1 wodwyse faciend’.
- (a1422) Doc.St.Alb.in RS 28.5 pt.2 (Cld E.4)355 : Una alba…cum una vinea de auro, cum wodewoses et aliis parvis animalibus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1540 : Sithen he castis on…A vestoure…Wroʒt full of wodwose & oþer wild bestis.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)459/22-3 : In the same strete was a condit…And iij wodewoses playing vpon the toppe of þe condyte; and other wodewoses benethe, playing to kepe this condite.
- (1462) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)5 : [A standing piece of silver-gilt with the sign of a] Wode-wose [on the top of the cover, silver spoons with] Wode-woses [at the end].
- -?-(1459) Invent.Fastolf in Archaeol.21258 : Item, j Clothe of arras for the dese in the same halle, with j wodewose and j chylde in his armys.
c
- (1251) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames390 : Robert de Wudewuse.