Middle English Dictionary Entry
wǒllen adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wǒllen adj. Also wollene, wollein, wollin, wollun, wolland, wolen, wolin, woullen, wullen, wullun, willene, (in surname) woln(e)-. |
| Etymology | From OE wyllen adj. with initial vowel assimilated to those of ME wǒl n.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Produced from the raw material wool; consisting of, spun from, or woven out of wool fibers; made of woolen fabric, woolen; ~ cloth (liste, threde, yarn, etc.); ~ and linen bothe two, linen and ~, etc., wool and linen; also, ?with generalizing force: of every kind, all [quot. c1400(?c1380)];
(b) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Archaeol.J.1 (Hrl 2253)65 : Tac a wollene clout, ant couche thi poudre theron.
- (1376) RParl.2.353a : En les ditz Countes file de Layn appelle Wolyn-yerne.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)760/13 : Þe men þereof ben…passynge witty in wolecrafte; Bi here crafty werke, a grete dele of þe worlde is ysokerede and yhulpe in wollen cloþes.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4452 : Þe spere carf þorouȝ-out As þorouȝ a wollene clout.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)8.43 : Marchauntis…ȝaf wille for his writyng wollene [vrr. wolleyn, wullen, willene] cloþis.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)731 : Þe jueler…solde alle hys goud, boþe wolen & lynne, To bye hym a perle.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.13.47 : A wullun [WB(2): wollun] clooth, or lynnen, that hath a lepre in the oof, or in the werpe.
- (1426) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)418 : Item, y bequethe all my beddyng, lynyn and wollyn, and all my weryng clothes to John Broughton and to Anneys Welde.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)133 : It is ordeyned…that non of the same toun take in kepyng of poore webberes…ne wollen threed, ne lynen threed, ne non other maner of thyng suspesious, for silver, ne for breed, ne for wyn.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)32 : Caste þe Pesyn þer-to…þen take a quantyte of wollen cloþe, & rubbe hem, & þe holys wyl a-way.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)5115 : Þai broght cloþes to hem þo, Wollen & lynnen boþe two.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.502b : Wollen Cloth fulled in Milles called Gygmylles and Toune Milles.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)943 : Lett neuer wollyn cloth ne furre passe a seuenyght to be vnbrosshen & shakyn.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)143/34 : He…ne vsid noone lynnen clothes, but alle wollen.
- a1500 Horse in MA 41 (Wood empt. 18)237 : Take a woullen liste & bynde hit about þe myddes of his tonge & he schall nat ney as long as hit is ther.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8675 : Clothe is made noon But if weyving be þeron, Neiþer wollen ne linnen…In whiche men ycloþed ben.
b
- (1327) Nickname in LuSE 55193 : Ad. Wolnehod.
- (1332) Nickname in LuSE 55193 : Ad. Wolnhode.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. woollen cloth.