Middle English Dictionary Entry
bǒurn(e, burn(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bǒurn(e, burn(e n. Also burn(e, born(e, boerne, buerne. |
| Etymology | OE burna |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A watercourse of any size; spring, stream, brook, river; also fig.; waterles ~, river bed; (b) bourn(es heved, source or head of a stream; ~ side, bank of a stream; ~ place, ~ stou, a spring or watercourse.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 115)24 : Broc: burne.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)248 : Þer is fur..Ne mei quenchen salt weter, ne uersc of þe burne [Trin-C: auene stream ne sture].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)20/18 : Hire uostermoder..brohte hire to fode bred & burnes drunch.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)918 : Þu farest so doð an ydel wel þar [read: þat] springeþ bi burne þar [read: þat] is snel & let for drue þe dune.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6392 : Vte als burn [Göt: brok], it brast þe strand.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8496 : Þai..mad a brig Ouer a litel burn [Frf: depe bourne; Göt: littel becc; Trin-C: litil ryuere].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1570 : He to a hole wynnez..bi a rokk, þer rennez þe boerne.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20603 : If þai resaife of þat burn þare Strinkelande opon þam naked and bar..Þai aschape noght withouten staþes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)8164 : To-ward þe kyng Merlyn gan turne: 'Do scope þis water & turn þe borne!'
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2597 : Ane is þe bourne of Tygre, þe tothire is Eufrates.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3487 : He dryfes with his ost..Be wast & be wildirnes & be watirles bournes.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)408 : Lord! now socour me..In þin herte blood, þat holi bourne.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)609 : Wyth ynne a lytyll space Ranne bowrnes all on blode.
- a1500 The last tyme (Cmb Ff.5.48)309 : He leyde my hed agayn the burne.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.8 : I..wente me to reste Vndur a brod banke bi a Bourne syde [B: bornes side].
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)974 : Bow vp towarde þys bornez heued.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 4595 : These bene the syx hyde londys-markys of Candefer: Fyrst, from the burne-place or ellys burnestow to Stanchystyl..and so along by west the dune to the bornstow.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 4596 : A loco torrentis [OE burnstowe], vel aliter the burn place dicto ad Stanchystyl.
2.
A body of water, such as a lake or the sea; also, the Flood.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)482 : Noe on anoþer day nymmez efte þe do[wv]e And byddez hir bowe over þe borne efte, bonkez to seche.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)302 : Euer walteres þis whal..Ande, as sayled þe segge, ay sykerly he herde þe bygge borne on his bak & bete on his sydes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5768 : No wise might þo weghis..lepe fro þe lond into þe low se..All borne were þai backe to þe buerne syde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11472 : Antenor also angardly desyret The body of the bold qwene, þat in the burne [cp. 11187] lay.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12523 : His shippes..thretty and two There were brent on the buerne.
3.
In names [see A.H.Smith PNElem. 1.63].
Associated quotations
- (1202) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.15143 : Galfridus de la Burne.
- (1215) Feet Fines Sus.in Sus.RS 2137 : Alfricum de Laburn.
- (1255) Court R.Ramsey10 : Richerus ad le Burne.
- (1261) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 368 : Richard Atteburn.
- (1275) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 4117 : Walter de la Burne.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1011 : Alanus atte Burne.
- (1300) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.3115 : Et ita inde ascendendo usque Boynhale burne..& de Boynhale burne..usque Boynhale Lydeyat.
- (1302-3) Feudal Aids 1347 : Johannes de la Bourne.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7234 : Radulphus Atteburne.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10197 : Thom. atte Borne.
- a1400(c1350) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.25 : Rogerus de la Bourne.