Middle English Dictionary Entry

wǒund n.
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Entry Info

Forms wǒund n. Also wounde, wond(e, vound, (N) woun, (early) wund(e, wunda, wnde & (error) wode; pl. woundes, etc. & wounde(n(e, wounddes, wondeis, wondus, wonden(e, woindis, wowundes, (early) wunde(n, wunda(n, wundæ(n, wundun & (error) woumdes.
Etymology OE wund n.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
(a) An injury to a person or an animal involving the piercing, cutting, or laceration of the skin or flesh, a wound; a puncture wound caused by a bee’s sting, an animal’s bite, etc.; also, a gash in an object made by a blow or stroke [quot. c1300 SLeg.Cross]; (b) fig. and in fig. context; (c) in combs. and selected phrases: ~ bitinge (morsive), biten ~, a wound made by biting or stinging; ~ of deth, dedes (dethes) ~, dedli ~, a fatal wound, death wound; fires ~, the inflammation or reaction resulting from a venomous snake’s bite; hed ~, a wound in the head; love(s ~, fig. a wound inflicted by love; mortal ~, a life-threatening wound; speres ~, a spear wound; the spere the ~ prived, the spere with voide ~, the spear having missed its mark; withouten ~ or wem, unhurt, uninjured; biten a ~, to inflict a wound by biting or stinging; drepen withouten ~, kill (sb.) without inflicting a wound; leien ~ on ~, inflict wound upon wound (on sb.); (d) a pictorial representation of the gory wounds resulting from war.
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1b.
Theol. (a) Any of the wounds which Crist suffered during the Passion or Crucifixion; also in fig. context; herte (spere) ~, the spear wound made in Christ’s side as he hung upon the cross; (b) woundes five (two and thre), five woundes, the five wounds suffered by Christ upon the cross; (c) in oaths and asseverations: bi cristes woundes five, for his woundes five, etc.; (d) ~ stedes, woundes stede, the places on the figure of Christ on a crucifix which represent the five wounds on his body.
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1c.
The spiritual blemish or imperfection associated with or caused by sin or vice; also, a sin; ~ of sinne, sinne(s ~; taken of woundes, to assume (another’s) evil ways.
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2.
Surg. An incision or a cut deliberately made on a part of the body to drain fluid; also, a superficial scratch or incision made in the skin as part of a curative procedure.
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3.
Pathol. (a) An external sore or ulcer usu. contracted through disease, a superficial lesion on the body of a person or an animal; ~ of lepre, a leprous lesion; ~ spring, an ulcerous sore; al on on ~, of a person: covered with sores, scabious; (b) an internal lesion or ulceration in the body of a person or an animal.
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4.
The mark left by a healed wound or sore, a scar, cicatrix; also, the incrustation which forms over a wound or sore during healing, a scab; also in fig. context; ~ festred (underwoxen, waxing under), hid (olde) ~.
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5.
(a) A blow, stroke, stripe; also fig.; at on ~, with a single blow; (b) a pestilence, plague; a pestilential sickness, disease; the ten woundes of egipte, the ten plagues of Egypt sent by God to punish the Egyptians; (c) injury, damage, harm.
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6.
Med. The word ‘wound’ as a technical term or concept.
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7.
In proverbs.
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8.
Pl. woundes, ?error for voidenesse n.
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wound.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. bitten wound.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. deadly wound.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. head wound.

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