Middle English Dictionary Entry
yolk(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | yolk(e n. Also yelke, ȝolk(e, ȝolc, ȝelk(e, (N) yholk(e & (early SW) ȝeolke; pl. yolkes, etc. & ȝolkus, ȝelkus & (?error) ylkes, (error) þowys. |
| Etymology | OE geolca, gioleca. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The yellow part of the interior of an egg, as distinguished from the white; also in conventional comparisons; ~ of an egge (ei), egge (ei) ~;
(b) in medicinal or culinary recipes; ~ neshe, raue ~ of an ei, etc., a raw egg yolk; ~ of a hard-brenned egge, hard ~, etc., a hard-boiled egg;
(c) as an ingredient in a ceraceous waterproofing mixture; egge ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)635 : A-boute al þe eorþe heo geth…Ase þe ȝwyte of þe Eye goth a-boute þe ȝeolke.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)203 : Li donez le mouvel [glossed:] yolke [vr. the yelke], A home seine bon morcel.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1343/2 : Of an ey wiþ tweye ȝelkis comeþ tweye chikenes, And thise ȝelkes beþ departed atwynne by a litel web.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6446,6451 : Alle erthe…may likend be Til a rounde appel of a tre, Þat even in myddes has a colke, And swa it may be tille an egge yholke…als þe yholk ymyddes þe egge lys And þe white obout…Right swa es þe erthe…Ymyddes þe hevens þat gas obout.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)299/4118 : Vitellin colre is mast lyk þe yolk of an ege.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)537 : Ȝelke [Win: ȝelk], of an eye: Vitellus.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3283 : Þe two eyne of þe byeryn was brighttere þan siluer; The toþer was ȝalowere then the ȝolke of a naye.
- c1450 Yale 163 Cook.Recipes (Yale 163)90.67/17 : Put theryn pepenys of the gretnys of an eye yolke, & fil hit with the braun that hit stond full.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)122/10 : Of rede coler, þat is, reed or of þe colour þat ȝolkis of eggis ben, þe spitting is citrin or grene.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)99a/b : Seþe it to þe þickenesse of a ȝelke of a rawe eye.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5203 : God made þe worlde of þe liknesse Of an egge…By þe white wiþynne vnderstonde I Þat is bitwene þe erthe and sky; By þe ȝolke…Take I þe erthe þat is lowest.
b
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)52.44/3 : Nim chykenen & scald heom…nym þe ȝolc of ey & lye hit wiþ mi[l]ke of alemauns.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)55.54/5 : Þe schalt maken mes of chyseberien…Henne vlehs ibeten in an morter þe ȝolkus [Jul: ȝelkes of eyren] harde medle wyþ, & ȝolkus nesche wel to holden, & peopur, kanel, gylofre.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1244/31 : His remedye is þe ȝolk of an ey and hony and glas…ypowned in water.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)102/18 : I dide on þe wounde þe ȝelke of an ey wiþ oile of rosis.
- c1400 Sln.468 Cook.Recipes (Sln 468)83.4/4 : Ruscheues: Tak brawn of capounnes…& tak hole clowes & maces…& tak ȝelkes of eyren & floure & mak past þerof.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)131a/b : Take fiue ȝolkes of harde rosted eyren and þre ounce of grece.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)40/4 : Take þe raw ȝolk of an ey, and medle it wele wiþ þe poudre of bole armenic…and anoynt it aboue þe sore.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)142/3 : Oyle of þe ȝolkes of eyren…remoueþ þe akþe…and it hasteþ þe goynge oute of þe quyttre.
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)30/145 : Tak garlik stele, and ȝolkis of hard-byrned egges.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)107/294 : Take…vitriole & vertegrece, whit ellebore & blak, erþenotes, & ȝelkes of hard-soden eyren.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)123/505 : Take ȝelkus of eyrin & herdes & wete hem þer-ynne & ley þer-to & remeue it not bi-fore þe þridde day.
- ?a1450 Ashm.Cook.Bk.(Ashm 1439)109 : Put al in a mortre and do þer-to iij. harde ȝolkes of egges.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)83 : Payn purdeuz: Take faire yolkes of eyren, and try hem fro the white, and drawe hem þorgh a streynour, [etc.].
- c1450 Yale 163 Cook.Recipes (Yale 163)104.77/2 : Perboyle percelley in fat broth; heu [it] & hard ylkes [?read: yolkes] of eyren togedyr.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)84/22 : Þou muste worche with…harde ȝolkis of eggis.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.31 : Take persoley and sage…And ȝolkes of eggus þat soþun ar harde.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)118b/b : As a membre is brent leie þeron þe ȝelke of an ey rawe medlid wiþ oile of rose.
- c1500(1446) Morstede Surgery (Hrl 1736)114 : Yf yt happon ther aper any ded flesche…dystroy yt with yelke of an eye and hony.
c
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)65/15 : For to sery leþeres for broken lemes…take þenne a gret quantite of safron and egge þowys [read: ȝolkys] y-grounde to-gedre…and vse hit vp-on leþeres as þou wolt.
2.
The central or most essential part of something.
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)96/3 : Þe herte of þo traue wes þe holy zaule Ine huam wes þe preciouse yolk [Vices & V.(2): tydynge] of þe wysdome of god.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)97/19 : Þei…witeþ neuere what it is but þe schelle wiþ-oute, þat is þe lettre; þat is good, but it is litle worþ as aforȝens þe ȝelke þat is wiþ-ynne so swete.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)732 : I can nat peynt my tale…But telle ȝewe þe ȝolke, and put þe white a-way.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)123/4 : The divine Pater Noster…is the ȝolke and þe ensaumple on which all prayers ben forged.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)122/198 : Of love…wol I now ensample make, sithen I knowe the heed-knotte in that yelke.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 84/32 : Forto temper asure..put a litill water þerto and a litill yelk of an egge, and stere hem well togeder.
- a1500 Rwl.C.506 Artist.Recipes (Rwl C.506) 172/26 : Do into þe wattur..a litill of swete mylke, and for eche skyn too ȝolkyn of eyren, and stere all þese togedur.
Note: New spellings (yelk & [pl.] ȝolkyn).