Middle English Dictionary Entry
brẹ̄se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | brẹ̄se n. |
| Etymology | OE brēosa, brīosa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A gadfly; (b) a locust; (c) a winged monster.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1305-17 *MS Roy.9.A.14 (Roy 9.A.14)f.56a : Oestrum: brese.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)64a/b : Tabanus: a brese.
- a1456 Hit is no right (Add 16165)p.38 : I wol me venge on loue as doþe a breese On wylde horsse.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)104.32 : Grashoppes come and breses [L bruchus], of which no noumbre was of.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)31/27 : Iohan Baptist..solitary lyfe chasse..like a bresse [L locusta], þe whilk..ledar and comawnder he has not.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.654 : Plucke away the feet & yef hem bresis [L locustae].
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.940 : The Greek seith eek that, if a cloude arise Of bresis [L locustarum] smert, men must in house hem hide.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)707/6 : Hic brucus: a breas.
c
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)54 : Ther rose smotheryng smoke and brese therinne, alle they weren lich horses araied into bataile, thei stongen as scorpioun and hadden mannis face, tothed as a lioun with haburjouns of iren..the smorthering smoke is ȝour dymme doctrine..The breses ben not ellis but Anticristis menye.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section: Also bres(e, bresse, breas; pl. breses, etc. & brese.--notes per MLL