Middle English Dictionary Entry
bōras n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bōras n. Also borace, boreis, borax, baurac, bewras. |
| Etymology | L baurach, borax & OF boreis, from Ar. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Name given to several minerals; prob. borax, malachite, sodium carbonate, verdigris, and possibly others: (a) an ingredient in preparations for soldering metals and for fastening gold leaf; also, a pigment; (b) alch. one of the substances used in treating base metals; (c) med. ingredient in medicines for ulcers, leprosy, etc., as well as cosmetics.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (a1200) Mappae Clavicula in Archaeol.32 (Corn)226 : De stagno conjunctionem..Sapone partem j, resinæ pini partem j, natroni partem j, borax aliquid. ]
- a1400 Alphita (SeldArch B.35)23 : Borax est quedam gumma unde consolidatur aurum: Boreis.
- (1404) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100395 : Item xlv libri de bewras.
- (c1421) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.494 : i libra boras.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)177a/b : Borax is glew of golde [*Ch.(2): Boreys fastneth golde to geder; L Borax gluten auri].
- a1475 Limn.Bks.(Brog 2.1)82 : To sowde, take boras and sethe hit in water..To make sowder of tynne, take v partys of pece sylvere, and of latone, and do medylle hit togedyre with a lytelle boras.
- a1475 Limn.Bks.(Brog 2.1)87 : To gyld iren or stele..towche thereone with water of borase and thanne ley one thy gold..and burnesshe hit.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.790 : Bole armonyak, verdegrees, boras.
- a1500 in Singer Cat.Alchem.2.418 (Hrl 2390, f.59) : Borax est omne genus calcis..Recipe testas ovorum in multa quantitate et terantur..procurat et ad malleacionem et molliciem aptat et celeres fusiones.
- a1500 in Singer Cat.Alchem.2.487 (Sln 3747, f.101b) : Take a litill borax, and black sope medle therwith.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.630 : Ther nas..Boras [vr. borace], ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon..That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.4ra : Tak j ℥ & s. of þat with ʒ borace, & camfre, ceruse, & gumme arabic most qwit, of alle alyk, wel driue togidre with euerose.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)184/29 : In allopucia..If þe forseid medicyns wolen not serue..Recipe spume maris..baurac [L baurach] i. nitrum.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)305/5 : Blowe vpon þe place baurac [L baurach], ouþer askis maad of paper.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)177a/b : Borax [*Ch.(2): boreys]..som men seiþ it to be riȝt hote; neþerlez it is consolidatif.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)85a/b : Of an vlcer þat is hard to hele..scurfe of bras & vertegrece ybrent and scurfe of yren, boras [L glutinum auri], vitriole.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 123/4 : Ley a litil quantite of boras bynethen þe wire inne þe pot..and þanne sette þin potte in hote coles.
Note: Need date, sense (a).