Middle English Dictionary Entry

bōn n.(1)
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Entry Info

Forms bōn n.(1) Also ban. Pl. (early) bān, bōn; bōnes.
Etymology OE bān

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
A bone of the human or animal body; also, an anatomical unit made of a number of connected bones [see bak ~, nek ~, tail ~, etc.].
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1b.
In oaths: bi corpus bones, bi goddes (cokkes) bones, etc.
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1c.
In prov. sayings: (a) bar (clene) as ani ~; (b) fair speche holdeth hol mani a ~, [etc.], fair speech prevents strife; (c) finden bones in, find obstacles in the way of accomplishing (sth.); (d) putten a ~ in the hod of, to cuckold (one's husband); (e) tonge breketh ~, speech causes strife; (f) to se bones fight betokeneth fir; (g) flesh that is bredde in the ~.
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1d.
Combs. ~ ake, aching of a bone or joint; ~ end, the end of a bone; ~ setter, one who sets broken or dislocated bones.
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2.
(a) A bone-like anatomical part, as a tooth, tusk, hardened artery, piece of cartilage, etc. [see gristel bon]; (b) the dewclaw of a deer or boar.
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3.
(a) A bone with some adhering flesh; corbines ~, a worthless bone thrown to the ravens; (b) a bone used as a weapon.
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4a.
Bone as one of the component parts of 'simple members' of the body; the bony frame or skeleton; also, bone as an anatomical substance; flesh and ~; ~ and hide (fel).
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4b.
bon and blod (lire), blod (bodi, flesh) and ~, the whole body; bodily form, substance, or appearance; blod ne (nor) ~, nothing at all, not in any manner; ben but fel (skin) and ~, be emaciated; ben flesh and ~, be incarnate.
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4c.
to the (bar, hard) ~, to the bony skeleton; fig. to the inmost part, to the quick.
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5.
Pl. (a) The bones as one of the component parts of the body; the bony structure or skeleton; (b) blod (braun, flesh, fel) and bones, bodi and ~, the whole body; bodily form or appearance.
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6.
(a) Pl. The whole body or person; beren bones, be alive; gon on (bodi and) bones, walk about, be alive; soul and bones, body and soul; (b) braundishen ich a bon, shake all over.
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7.
The skeleton of a corpse, a corpse; -- usually pl.
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8.
(a) Ivory, whalebone, etc., as a fabricating material; elpes ~; whales (rewel) ~; whit as ~; (b) bone (burnt or powdered) used in medicine or alchemy; (c) a die (made of ivory, etc.).
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9.
The pit or stone (of an olive, date, peach, etc.).
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

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

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(d)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. bone ache.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1450 PPl.B (Cmb Dd.1.17)5.349 : Rigges boun [vr. riggesbones; A vr. bakkes; Ld: glotoun..blew his rounde ruwet at his rigge-bon ende].
    • Note: New spelling

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