Middle English Dictionary Entry
breuen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | breuen v. Also bru(en. Forms: p. breu, breuȝ, breuh, browe & breued, brued; ppl. browen, brown, ibrowe & brew(e, bru(w)en & brewed, brewit, brued. |
| Etymology | OE brēowan; brēaw, bruwon; browen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To brew (beer, ale); also, make (wine); (b) ~ barli (malt), to use barley (malt) for making ale; (c) to make ale or beer, engage in brewing; ~ to sale, brew ale for sale.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1350 Why werre (Peterh 104)p.14 : Gode ale and strong, Wel i-browen of the beste.
- (c1426) Red Paper Bk.Colchester49 : Mochel peple of the same ton brewen hure ale..with water of ryver.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)54 : Browne [vrr. brwyn, bruwyn] ale or other drynke: Pandoxor.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Endure(2) (Add 36983)26 : Vynters that her wynes brewe.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.133 : I Bouhte hire Barly, heo breuh hit to sulle.
- (1419) EEWills40/11 : I pray ȝou þat ȝe wald Brewe x buschellys of malt forto ȝef pore men of my paryche.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.397 : When he breth [read: brueth] a quarter Malte for ij s. then schall he selle a Gallon of the best ale for an ob.
c
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.66 : Euerich brewestere of myȝte of towne, þt breweþ to sale, þat hij make good ale, vp-on þe sale, vp-on þe corn, and vp-on þe assyse..no brewestere out of fraunchyse ne may brewe wit-ynne þe power of þe Citee to sale.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)9/31 : For pure coveytyse..sche gan to brewyn & was on of þe grettest brewers in þe town.
- (1446) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 483 : It. for to mennys labour to helpe brewe x d.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)129/416 : Who brewys? who bakys?
- a1525(?1468) Cov.Leet Bk.338 : Nor fech watir þens to brue nor to stepe with.
2.
To contrive (sth.), bring about: (a) ~ bale, contrive or do harm or injury; ~ bote, derive a benefit; (b) ~ barate, ~ bargain, cause strife, etc.; ~ care, cause suffering or trouble; ~ deth, contrive or cause (someone's) death; etc.; (c) to be in the making, be imminent; accrue.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.51 : Him is browen bale, Þer his þrote schal be schorn.
- a1350 Ne mai no lewed (Hrl 2253)23 : An old cherl..my bales to breuen.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)561 : Rouland wiþ durindale Brewe him miche bale.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10934 : Cursyng breweþ moche bale.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23950 : O bale to bru sum bote.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24201 : Al es brued me to bale.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.55 : Falsnes brewes bale.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)62 : A Braban brwed þat bale.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3206 : Þou trowes ouer wele þi wiues tale, Þat es obout to brew þe bale.
- a1425 Celestine (LdMisc 463)228 : Him þoughte to brewen him a bale wel ille.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1245 : Þys bale wil þey eft vs brewe.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)580 : Thou brewest thy self mykil bale.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4306 : At þe auters prestes þai slewe, Slike bitter bale aboute þai brewe.
b
- a1300 Edi beo þu (Corp-O 59)30 : Þu bring us ut of kare of drede, þat Eue bitterliche us breuȝ.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4054 : Brewen herte-bren.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3575 : He brew this cursednesse and al this synne.
- c1390 Þe man þt luste (Vrn)69 : Þe tonges þat such bargeyn gon brewe, Hit weore non harm þouȝ þei were brent.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.23 : This bale sal bald baret breu.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4137 : Þat Baret rede i noght yee bru [Göt: breu], þat yow mai euer after ru.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.361 : Þe bitternesse þat þow hast browe, brouke it þi-seluen!
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)73 : He þat breewid hath al this mescheef.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6028 : Ladies shull hem such pepir brewe..That they for woo mowe seyn 'allas!'
- a1425 Nicod.(1) (Add 32578)207 : Scho biddis þat I no bargayne brewe To put ihesu to ded.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)553 : They displesaunce in lordes courtes breewe.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1285 : Hys wyf..Brewed the childys deth that nyght.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)594 : Garcy..Þat more Barett will brewe.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.22 : The bargan was bruen [Dc: brewe].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)38/108 : Here synne here deth doth brewe.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)687 : Þy doghtur..that brewyd hath all thys care.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)118 : How crist brith bigan to brew.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24497 : Þarof brued me sum bote.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)367 : And þus begynneth a bale to brewe.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)435 : I se he twycche..Alas, balys breweth ryght badde!
3.
Fig. expressions and proverbial sayings: (a) breuen a bitter beverage, etc., to concoct a bitter draught, inflict great harm; (b) as I have breu, so most I drink; let him have as he breu; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)621 : A luþer beuerage to hare biofþe hii browe.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3076 : Why woldyst thou..drawe thee a-gayn to synne? I schal þee brewe a byttyr jous!
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4393 : A sory beuerage þere was browen! Quarellys and arewys þykke fflowen.
b
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.17 : First sour brewit, sit sour drinkit!
- a1350(1265) BLewes (Hrl 2253)11 : Let him habbe ase he brew!
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)65/1360 : Þou schalt..drinke þat þou hast ibrowe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.246 : I..lawhe of that I se hem loure; And thus of that thei brewe soure I drinke swete.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1626 : Who so wicked Ale breweth, Fulofte he mot the werse drinke.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2848 : Suilk als þai brued [Frf: brew; Göt: breu] now ha þai dronken.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1722 : As I haue brew, so most I drink.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3163 : As he hath browyn, lete hym drynke.
- a1450 Who þat wole knowe (Dgb 102)80 : Lete fooles drynke þat þey dede brewe.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.52 : So brewe, so drynke.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)3300 : As he hathe browne & bake, Trewthe wyl þat he drynke.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)132/502 : We must drynk as we brew.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)160 : Suche as he brewythe, seche schall he drenke, He schall be bette þat he schall stynke And aȝenst his wyll be thar.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 3.(b).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL