Middle English Dictionary Entry
wrinkle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wrinkle n. Also wrinkel(e, wrinkil(le, wrinkul, wrincle, wrincele. |
| Etymology | Prob. from wrinklen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. runkel n.
1.
(a) A curving passageway, tortuous or winding path;
(b) anat. a bend or curving in the path of the urethra at a point just above the bulb of the penis.
Associated quotations
a
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2683 : Dedalus…hath an hous Iwrouht Callid Loboryntus…vnkouth, Ful off wrynkles and off straungenesse.
b
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)525/34 : Be þe stone ledde…to þe nekke of þe bledder bytwene þe foundement and þe priue stones, And þan be it kytte vnto þe stone with a rasoure after þe goynge of þe wryncele [Ch.(1): runclez; L rugarum].
2.
(a) An irregular fold, crease, or pleat in cloth or an article of clothing, a wrinkle;
(b) a corrugation in the skin, a wrinkle; also, a bodily seam, a crack in the skin;
(c) a groove or crease in a muscle;
(d) an external bodily fold or crease; ~ of (wrinkles on) the share, the inguinal fold.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 WBible(2) (Cld E.2)Gen.38.14 : Roket cloth with many wrynclis [Roy: Thamar…toke to a roket, and the abite chaungid].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)534 : Wrynkyl, or playte yn clothe [Win: rimpil in a cloth]: Plica.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)608/35 : Ruga: a wrynkyl, or a playt.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)18840 : His forhede feir, wemles in siȝt, wiþouten wrynkul [Vsp: runkel] hit was sliȝt.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)56b/b : Ruga: a wrynkel or a sem.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)450/21 : Kytte it after þe wrynkeles and after þe brede of the eyȝe fro þat one corner of þe eyȝe.
- ?a1450 Lanfranc (Add 12056)5/23 : Cap. xv: of wryncles & chynes of handes…& wertys.
c
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)86/15 : Hit byhoueþ þat 7 condiciouns ben loked in openynge…Þe þridde is that it be made after þe wryncles and þe goynge of þe muscles.
d
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)44a/a : This vttere part is conteyned of þe pectine, þat is to seie, þe self schar, & also of inguinibus, þat is to seie, þe gryndis or the wrynklis on þe schar…þe schar is pleynli þat heery place þat bigoiþ al a-boute þe ȝerdis rote, as wel aboven as on ech side…þere is ytretid of inguine…þat is more openly declarid þe wrynkle of þe schar or plicus þat ben wiþinne bitwene þe schar and þe flankis & also þe þies.
3.
Fig. (a) A moral or an ethical blemish;
(b) a devious ploy or stratagem.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 ?Hilton Qui Habitat (Vrn)85/10 : Holy chirche is whit in grace, with-outen spot or wrinkel.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Eph.5.27 : Crist…schulde make þe kyrke gloriouse…It not hafande a spot or a wrynkylle [L rugam].
- a1425 WBible(1) (Magd-C F.4.6)Eph.5.27 : Wrincle [WB(2) vr. wrynkele; Dc 369(2): He schulde ȝyue the chirche glorious to him silf, not hauynge wem…or ryuelyng or ony such thing].
b
- a1450(?1419-20) Topias (Dgb 41)75/64 : Forwriþen serpent þi wyles ben aspied, Wiþ a þousand wrynkels þou vexes many soules…þi venym…þou spittist.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wrinkle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(d)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wrinkle of the share.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 2.(d)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. wrinkle on the share.