Middle English Dictionary Entry
bulwerk n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bulwerk n. Also bol-, bo(o)le-, boule-. |
| Etymology | MDu. bolwerk |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A fortification outside a city wall or gate; a rampart, barricade; (b) fig. a bulwark, a source of strength.
Associated quotations
a
- (?c1416) Gesta Hen.V17 : Unum forte fortalitium quod nos barbicon seu communis bulwerke appellamus.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2774 : Barbykans and bulwerkes [vrr. bolewerkes, bolwerkes] newe..the Cite forto kepe.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)78 : My seyde lorde off Wynchestre..sette vp pipes and hurdeys in ffourme off Bulwerkes.
- c1450 Siege Thebes (Rwl D.82)270 : A rering vp many a big bulwerk on euery side, setting mynours to þe walles.
- c1450 Siege Troy(2) (Rwl D.82)278 : Before euery of thes [gates] was set a strong bulwerk as mighti as eny castell.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)573 : Sir John Radecliff..made iij stronge bullwerkes of erthe and cley, one att þe corner of þe Castell with-out þe toun..And att Mylke gate was a faire bulwerk made of breke.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1207 : To bere stoon, a boolewerk forto make.
- (c1460) Let.Sou.in Sou.RS 22 (Sou SC.2/9/2)22 : Costes done vppon the walles of frames of tember abought the boullewerkes.
b
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)3.1475 : Be thow our swerd..boolewerk off stabylnesse, Gate off dyffence.
- (1436) Proc.Privy C.4.352c : Remembre..what a bolewarke and defense it [Calais] is to this lande and inhabitauntes thereof.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)141 : Iesu..our bolewerke and our wal
2.
A pad, padding.
Associated quotations
- a1486 Arms Chivalry (Mrg M 775)43 : A peyre of shorte bulwerkis [vr. bulworks] of thynne blanket, to put aboute his kneys for chawfynge of his lighernes.
- a1500 O fresch floure (RwlPoet 36)46 : Your bolwerkys, pectorellys, and al your nyce aray, Treuly, me semyth ye ar a louely may.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Galawnt pride (RwlPoet 34)2 : Theyr hosyn of red, ful close þei be, With a whytte bulwerk abowtt þe kne.
Note: Supplementary material for sense 2.--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: An international word, found roughly simultaneously in German, Flemish, Dutch, Scots, and French; prob. ult. Scandinavian (cp. ON bolvirki, bulvirki). The two elements of the compound presumably correspond to ME bole n.(2) ('tree trunk') and werk n. So W. Sayers, "Middle English and Scots 'Bulwerk' and some Continental Reflexes," Notes and Queries 52.2 (2005), 164-170.