Middle English Dictionary Entry
bǒnche n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bǒnche n. Also bunche. |
| Etymology | Prob. OF dial. (Walloon) bonge bundle (from Flem. bondje); cp. F bongeau. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A bundle or bunch; (b) a hump; (c) a swelling; (d) ?a knob.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1350) Sacrist R.Ely 2144 : Item in j bunche de alea empt.
- (1397) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.441 : Item C bunches lini val. C vi s.
- (c1450) Rec.Norwich 2236 : C bunche de leke, j d.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.818 : Late be youre sophym!..ffor, thow ye brynke foorth al your hool bunch, Ȝe shal not make an elne of an vnch.
b
- c1390 Body & S.(5) (Vrn)p.98 : For summe were ragged and tayled, Mid brode bunches [vrr. boches, bulches] on heore bak.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273a/a : In Siria ben oxen þat haue..bonches on þe bakkes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)275a/a : A Camel of arabia haþ tweye bonches in þe bak, and a Camel of anoþer londe haþ but oon bonche in þe bakk.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)635 : His sholdres high and courbe, and a grete bonche on his bakke be-hinde and a-nother be-fore a-gein the breste.
- a1605(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(2))18294 : Touchinge the bonche vpon my bake, I wyll to the now specifye what thynge it dothe signefye.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)31b/b : In postemes & in bunchis in þe whiche colde humoures comet togedres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)96b/b : Þe ioyntes of fyngres vnsemelich wiþ knotty bunchis.
d
- (1395) Cart.Whitby in Sur.Soc.72612 : Pro i bunchis ad fenestram dormitorii.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1439) Doc.in Zupko DEWeights24 : M. bunchis allei.
- (1439) Doc.in Zupko DEWeights24 : xx bonchys allei.
- (1474) in Salzman Building in Engl.184 : [3] wawe [and 2] bunchis [of coloured glass, azure, purple and red].
Note: New forms in these quots.: Also.. bonch; pl. bounches.
Note: New subsense (a) for these quots. under new sense 1. (The current sense (a) should become sense 1.(b) and current senses (b), (c), and (d) should become senses 2., 3., and 4. respectively.)
Note: A 'bunch' is a standard of dry-goods weight with considerable variation depending on the commodity, so in these quots., it refers to precise quantities. As a measurement for garlic or onions, it is 25 heads; for glass, it is usu. equal to 1/60 of a wey (MED wei n.(2)) or 1/40 of a waw (MED wawe n.) of glass. Both the 'wey' and the 'waw' are variable units of weight for commodities sold by weight; the 'waw' is usually between 160-190 lbs., used especially for lead and glas.
Note: Gloss: 1.(a) A measure of quantity: for garlic or onions, it is 25 heads; for glass, it is usu. equal to 1/60 of a waw, approx. 160 lbs.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1396) Doc.in Zupko DEWeights24 : Fanes the bunche.
- (1402) Doc.in Zupko DEWeights24 : Pro xx bunche leok.
- (1451-2) MSS Penshurst in HMC1.222 : Bounches de sewyngrope.
- (c1500) Doc.in Zupko DEWeights24 : Bunchys of lattes.
Note: It seems 'bunches' of these items do not have standard sizes.
Note: Quot. (1396) needed as supplementary material in (new) sense 1.(b); other two quots. needed for date in sense 1.(b).
Note: Editor's glossary: "sewyngrope" = rope to be used in thatching. MED seuing(e ger.(2), sense (e): ~ rop, a kind of rope, perh. used in scaffolding or with a kiln. (2 quots., one of which is this one. The other quot. [OD col.] indicates that this rope is to be made from hide: "In pelle empto..pro duobus sewengeropes inde faciendis.)
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including Supplement forms): Also bonch, bunch(e; pl. bonches, etc. & bounches.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. bunch.