Middle English Dictionary Entry
brim-stōn n.
Entry Info
| Forms | brim-stōn n. Also brem-, brom-, brum-; bren-, brin-, bron-, brun-; bern-, born-, burn-, burned-, burnt-. |
| Etymology | LOE bryn-stān; cp. ME brennen burn, & its variants. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The mineral sulphur; (b) quik ~, native or virgin sulphur; ded ~, sulphur which has been rendered inert; poudre of ~, flowers of sulphur; ~ water, water containing sulphur.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.315 : Þe lond of Sicilia..haþ moche brymstone.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.548 : Fyr of smale gleedes that ben almoost dede vnder asshen wol quyke agayn, whan they ben touched with brymstoon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/b : Brymston is a veyne of erþe and haþ moche ayer and fuyre in his composicioun. Þerfore it is ycleped sulphur.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)63b/b : Sulfur: brymston.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.905 : Brymstoon and galbane out chasith gnattis.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)457 : Bromstone þat wele walde birn, And pykke & terre.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)169/17 : Þat mownte byrnys evur on a grete low as it war full of burnedstone.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)346/14 : Þat hyll will caste oute low & stynk of pykk and burnte stane.
- c1450 Siege Thebes (Rwl D.82)271 : They..made þeire defence in casting of..wilde fire with brem stone.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)92/2 : Do þer-to brwnston and orpiment.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15676 : Yiff I hadde ynowh bronstoon, I sholde..Sette affyre al maner thyng.
- (1480) Munitions Tunstall in Mariner's Mirror 64 (PRO E 101/198/13 f.96)233 : [Items] spent by the comaundment of maister Tunstall, depute unto my lord leuetenante on the shippys that made warre uppon Dunkyrk:..xlvij lb. of gunnpowdyr, xxxv lb. of serpentynnes powdy.., iiij lb. of brymstone, iiij lb. of salt petyr, price the lb. xd.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)248/10 : Bathynge..in watyr in wych there is brymstone.
b
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)181 : Feole thinges ther beth ynne [a magic bath]..Quic brimston [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)76a/a : Brimston watir hath noyenge to colde Iueles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206b/a : Som brymstone is ycleped quyk brymstone, suche as it is whan it is y take out of þe erþe, and som is deed brymstone oþer yqueynt and is ymade by craft and ydo in cannes..for medicyne.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)55/10 : Powder of bromstane.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)202/15 : Take powdyr of brymston.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)79 : Pro morphea alba vel nigra. Take..quykke brimston.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)152 : How thou schalt make good vermyloun..Take..quyk silvyr and..quyk brimstoon.
2.
(a) Theol. Burning sulphur; (b) alch. sulphur as embodying the 'spirit of fire' in metals.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Elucid.(Vsp D.14)143/31 : Heo sculen drigen brynstanes stænc on helle.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)106 : A bitter bað..Of pisch & of brimeston [vr. brimston].
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.61 : Smoke and smoþer op it wal, Boþe pich and brumston [Auch: bronston].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)49 : Þis zenne is zuo onworþ to gode þet he dede rine uer berninde and bernston stinkinde ope þe cite of sodome.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)10.7 : It shal rayne up þe synȝers droppes of fur and of brunstone [Rolle Psalter: brunstan].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2875 : Thoru brennyng of þe brinstane [Frf: brimstane].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.291 : Brynston [vrr. brymstoon, bremston]..brennyng out-casteþ hit Al hot.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.19.24 : The Lord reynede vpon Sodom and Gomor brenstoon [WB(2): brynston] and fier.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)188 : In bromstane I burne als a belle.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)198/11 : Þe devull..haylsid hym & servid with a drynk mengid with burnston on a burnyng chales.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)8/24 : In fyr and brymston that neuer shall be whenched.
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.824 : The firste spirit quyk siluer called is..the ferthe brymstoon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206b/a : Brymston and quiksiluer is þe matiere of metalles.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.53vb (2.7) : When he made water, it steynede þe wawis like ȝelow brunstoun..& thike as eny horse pisse, in so mykel þat 7 daies after were þe wawes dyede of his vryn.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(a). New spelling: brunstoun.