Middle English Dictionary Entry
box n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | box n.(2) |
| Etymology | OE box (from L buxis, ult. Gr. pyxis jar. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A jar (for salves, cosmetics, spices, etc.), usually cylindrical.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)37/9 : Do in ane boxs.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)145 : Hie..nam ane box ȝemaked of marbelstone and hine fulde mid derewurðe smerieles.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)97 : Out of hire boxe heo nam Oynement..And smeorede ore louerdes heued.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.155 : Þou brist [read: birst] a box on þi hond..ȝiue us sum of þi spicis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 7.37 : An alabastre box of oynement.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.869 : This cursed man hath in his hond yhent This poysoun in a box.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195b/a : Þe oynement boxe [L vnguenti vasculum] þat þe gospel speikeþ of.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217a/a : Of box beþ boxes [L pixides] y made to kepe Inne musk and oþer spicery.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)155/9 : Þilke eende [of the shoulder blade] is holowe as a box.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)333 : Herbes he took..And stamped hem..And wronge it out in a boxe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.194 : A boxe of salue.
- (a1425) Stonor1.41 : ij boxes of conserves, tryacle, and souger candy.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)180b/a : Be þer made a ful subtile puluer And be it kept in a brasyn or latyne boxe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)164a/a : A ventose forsoþe is an ynstrument lyke a boxe with a streyte mouthe and with a wyde wombe.
- (1446) Will York in Sur.Soc.45102 : ij pulder boxes.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)164/499 : A box of horne or of coper.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)295 : Put it in a litel round box and stop it faste.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)17b : A Box: pixis, lechetus olei est.
2.
Various containers: (a) the pyx (for the Host); (b) a case (for documents, letters); (c) the case or bowl (of a compass).
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9352 : Þe box þat heng ek ouer þe weued, Mid godes fless & is blod.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.491 : Þe box [Higd.(2): pix; L pixis] fil, þat Goddes body was ynne.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)1850 : When þow schalt to seke gon..Bere þyn ost..In a box that ys honeste.
- (c1451) Will York in Sur.Soc.30157 : I bequeth a box of silver..yt God Almyghty in ye forme of bred may lie in over ye high auter.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)174/3 : He..ȝede to þe chirch and toke Godis body in a boxe of yuory.
- a1500 PParv.(KC 8)46 : Box or boyste: Pixis.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.745 : Stolen were his lettres pryuely Out of his box.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.649 : I wil go fecche my box with my breuettes and a bulle with bisshopes lettres.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.263 : The tarre is vntydy that to thyne sheep by-longeth; Hure salue ys of supersedeas in someneres boxes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.55 : Þe messager..bereþ bote a boxe, a breuet þer-ynne.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.824 : Youre termes come oute of þat sotil boxe Of aristoteles elenkes.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)p.236 : They opened the Messangers box and unded the letteres.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)18501 : He bare..A Boxe lyche a Messangere.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)1599 : A messyngere, it semyd, he were, For be his syde a box he bare.
c
- 1417 in For.Acc.8 Hen.V D/1 v.[OD col.] : j diolle, j Boxe.
- (a1422) Doc.in Nicolas Navy 2445 : [A balinger had] j dioll, j compasse, j boxe.
3.
Anat. & med. (a) A cupping glass (for bloodletting); (b) a socket (of a bone).
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)133a : A Ventisynge box: gunna, gunis, ventosa.
- a1500 Burg.Pest.(2) (Sln 2320)74/84 : Be thou ventused on the thyes with a boxe.
- a1500 Burg.Pest.(2) (Sln 2320)74/91 : Be thou ventused bitwene the shuldres with boxes.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)156/2 : Þe canel-boon..entriþ a maner box, þe which is in þe ouer partie of þe ouer boon.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)176/23 : Eueri of hem [hip bones] haþ a box þat is clepid pixis; haunche & vertebrum sit þeron.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/b : In to þe box [L pixidem] or þe pitte of þe spalde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)18a/a : Þar bene concauiteez yseid boxes, in which bene receyued þe vertebra i. whirlbones of þe bones of þe thies.
4.
A strongbox for money or valuables, or its contents; specif., a fund (as of a guild or other corporation); comune ~, common fund.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Judas (Hrl 2277)136 : Þe teoþing of þulke boxes.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)42/52 : If þe comune box ne may nouȝt perfourme þis fyndyng of suche seke breþeren.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)45/21 : Who þat entryth in þe same Fraternite he schal ȝeue..to þe comune box vj s. viij d.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)49/55 : Þat alle þe costages..be mad good of þe box.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)50/82 : Þer schul be four suffisaunt men for to kepe þe catel..that on to kepe þe box, an-other þe keye.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)52/50 : Ȝif any brother dye þat hath nouȝt of his owene..he be beried of þe comune box.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4390 : He was free Of his dispense..ofte tyme he foond his box ful bare.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.208 : At ancres, þere a box hangeth.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.97 : And boxes ben y-set forþ, bounden with yre, To vnder-take þe tool of vntrewe sacrifice.
- (?1404) LRed Bk.Bristol2.182 : Here commwne boxe, in sustenaunce of here almys and othere expenses.
- (1428) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)178/2 : This ben the Namez of Pore Men þat haffe ylkon a Wok xij d. of þe comone box by þe graunt of al þe crafte.
- (1438) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.2 : j box wyth twey keyes.
- (1451) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)336 : The comone box of the said craft of Cordewaners in sustentacion and relevyng of the povere people of the same craft.
- (1468) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31402 : For a purse for the boxe, i d. ob.
- c1500 O lorde so (Hnt EL 1160)11 : In my box he puttes hys offryng.
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall166 : To be levyed by the Bayly of the Borugh..to put in to the Burges-Box..to make his fyne to the Box aftur his offence.
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall169 : To forfett x mrck to Saynt Johns Boxe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1379) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.205 : [To John de Heylesdon he leaves..a silver] poudrebax.
Note: New spelling
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Clarke Crafte Lymmyng (Sln 73) 204/24 : To make ceruse..take a stuke and bete of þe white þat hangeþ on þe plates into a clene vessel, and temper it vp with vinegre and put it in buxes.
Note: ?New spelling (pl.) (?error) = buxes. Prob. sense (a).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. box.