Middle English Dictionary Entry
bordē̆l n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bordē̆l n.(1) Also bordale, bordil(le, bordhwel. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A house of prostitution; commune ~, a public brothel; gon to ~, to become a prostitute; putten to ~, to make a prostitute of (a woman); (b) ~ hous, a house of prostitution; ~ place, ~ sted, a place of prostitution, a brothel; ?also, the quarter of a town occupied by brothels; ~ lane, a lane containing a brothel; ~ womman, a prostitute; (c) prostitution; also, lechery; holden ~, to be a harlot, commit adultery; hous of ~, a brothel; (d) an unchaste woman; commune ~, a prostitute; pleien ~, to play the harlot, commit adultery.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (LdMisc 108)96 : To þe commune bordel þov schalt beo i-lad..And þare schal mani a moder-child..ligge bi þe..in hore-dom and in schame.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.193 : Sche putte to the bordel [L prostibulo exponeret] faire maydons for hir riches.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.885 : Thilke harlotes that haunten bordels of thise fool wommen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1411 : On Leonin it herde telle, Which Maister of the bordel was.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.19.29 : Ne putt thow thi douȝter to bordel [L ne prostituas filiam tuam].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.689 : Among ribaudis he wold harp..At the bordel dide hymsilf auaunce, With comoun women openli to daunce.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)44 : Bordele: Lupanar, prostibulum.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)4301 : Thou shalt of comoun bordel be þe abieccyoun.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)517/14 : Þer come a lyon rynnand þurgh þe cetie vnto þe bordell.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)246/34 : But vtterly hem moste be comen and go to bordel.
b
- (1368) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.122 : [A tenement in lane called] Bordhwelane.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.6.10 : Of it thei ȝeuen to pute in bordel house and ournen hooris.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)28/178 : Þe bordel place, parde, Defameþ noþing chastite.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)31/365 : And þat was neuer seiȝen but þat day: A maiden from bordel plas gon away.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)32/392 : Whon i com to þe bordel sted..Out of þis hous chast schal i go.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.976 : He hath synned with comune bordel wommen.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)106/13 : Þei han ben horrels in þe comune bordel hous.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.16.24 : Thou hast bildid to thee a bordel hous [L lupanar], and madist to thee hordom in alle stretis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2277 : Ther nas herbe, spice, gras ne roote To hym so lusti, as was the bordelhous.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)4353 : The juge..comaundyd hir..to þe bordalehous furth to be lad.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)330 : Þou..þus lange hase sufferd a bordale house.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)16b : A bordelhowse [Monson: a Bordylle house]:..lupanar.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)730/1 : Hec fornix: a bordylhows.
c
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)182/51 : An hous þat seruede of bordel þare was bi-side.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)309 : Allas, moder..Euel be-comeþ þe, houre to be, To holde bordel.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1054 : Al his rente In wyn and bordel he despente.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)12/113 : Þam bihoued bordell bigin And lede þaire life in lust of syn.
- (1436) RParl.4.511a : Other strange persones..have set up Stywehouses, and houses of Bordell, and unclene lyvers, withyn the hye stretes.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)220 : She is my wyfe, and I fonde hir in bordell withe a-noþer man.
d
- a1440 Palmistry (1) (DgbR 4)20 : It signifieth comen bordell and redy to all vnclennes.
- a1500 Bevis (Cmb Ff.2.38)309 : [Euel be-comeþ þe, houre to be,] And to pley bordel.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1452) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.()491 : [Paid for a boat going to the general] Brodelle [at Romney..12 d.].
Note: New spelling
Note: MED has brōthel n. Also brodel., but does not have modern sense. ?metathesis for bordel n.(1)?--per JR
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Mirror(Htrn 250) 1:19/10 : Noman schal take ȝeme to him þat spekeþ þe word, for out of bordel may a gode man comen & out of þe castel, a wikked man.
Note: Editor: "bordel: 'cottage'. See AND bordel where both the senses 'cottage, hut' and 'brothel' are given. MED bordel n. records the sense 'brothel' only. It seems unlikely, however, that the ME translator envisaged a 'good man' emerging from a 'brothel' here."
Note: New sense.