Middle English Dictionary Entry
bush n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bush n.(1) Also buss, buish, bosh, boish, bish & busk, bosk. |
| Etymology | OE busc (attested only in place names; corresp. to (rare) OHG busc & to MHG busch, MDu. bosch, busch), & ML busca, -us, bosca, -um (from Gmc). ME busk , bosk reflect ML rather than Scand. influence; ME boish , buish may show influ. of OF bois (from Gmc). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A woods, grove; thicket, underbrush; bank and ~, hill and (wooded) dale; under the ~, in (the shelter of) the woods; (b) rank growth.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1250 Somer is comen & (Eg 613)13 : Þat child..boþe in boskes & in bank isout me hauȝ [read: hauet].
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)709 : Et meuz chaunte mauvis en busson [glossed: bosc].
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)819 : Je vi desouz la dume [glossed: a boske of breres; vr. a brere busk] Un oisel.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3455 : She dorste..rennen in the montaynes al the nyght And slepen vnder the bussh.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2013 : Yet saugh I..The caroyne in the bussh [vrr. bosch, busk, buske], with throte ycorue.
- c1390 Bi a wode (Vrn)3 : Bi a wode as I gon ryde..A boske of briddes bad me abyde.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.44v : The litle ben is growyng in buskys [Add 27329 (f.163rb): busches] in wode contres, neuer mor gret tre but as prympe tre or litel mor, & euery branche twysted & leuyd, mykel lyk þe twystis of valeryan, & frut fayr red as hulfur frut or red coral & pluskys as hawe pluskys.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.879 : Wommen may go saufly vp and doun In euery bussh or vnder euery tree.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)245a/b : A Busshe hatte Rubus and is þikkenesse of þornes and of breres and of oþre sshrubbes.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)134 : Fer fro towne, fer fro busch was he; Ther was no couert.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3568 : Vsk, A water þat rennes by bank & busk.
- a1450(?1400) In blossemed buske (Dgb 102)1 : In blossemed buske I bode boote..ffaire floures vnder foote.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)574 : So þat I be lord of toure & toun, be buskys & bankys broun.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)459/9 : iij acris of his arable lond..in that tilthe of wycrofte, with a mansion, busshis, croftis, and medis.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)6.32 : Now feeldes fatte..Is good to plowe..Se whether drie or weet..Hit be, or ful of bosh or stones steke.
1b.
Sayings: (a) beten the bush, beat the bush(es) to rouse game; (b) biden fair weder under ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2356 : His oghne astat thus vp he haleþ, And takth the bridd to his beyete Wher othre men the buisshes bete.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1437 : Þay beten on þe buskez & bede hym [a boar] vp ryse.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.47 : On betyth þe buske, a-noþer hathe brydde.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6021 : On the bushe bettes one, A nothere man hathe the byrde.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4524 : Some bete the bussh and some the byrdes take.
b
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.17 : Ounder buskes [vrr. boske, bousse] me shal fair weder abide.
2.
(a) A shrub or shrub-like plant; bush(es and brer(es (thornes); (b) the burning bush seen by Moses on Mount Sinai [Ex. 3.2]; also, this bush as a symbol of the Virgin Mary.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)48/44 : Fair wode þare was þulke tyme, ake nouþe heo is al a-doune, Bote þornes and þunne boskes.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2105 : vii eares wexen fette of coren On an busk [L culmo] ranc and wel tidi.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11370 : Hii houede vnder boskes & newe kniȝtes made.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8422 : 'Frende,' quaþ Wawain, 'þou here abide, In on busse þou þe hide.'
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)28 : No grenhede ne may yleste..ne in gerse, ne in busse [Vices & V.(2): busche], ne in trauwe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)819 : Eche busch ful of briddes þat bliþeliche song.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3062 : Sche wold..vnder a busk ligge.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1517 : Into the groue ful hastily he sterte..Theras by auenture this Palamoun Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1579 : He sterte hym vp out of the buskes thikke.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.119 : And clensede þe temple..þere gras, breres, and busshes were i-growe.
- c1390 Hose wolde be-þenke (Vrn)34 : A bosck þat stondeþ ful fer þe fro, Þat ȝe schal deme hit schal be Mon or Beest.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2984 : In stede of chambres wel arraied, He was thanne of a buissh wel paied.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2208 : She saw wher Damyan Sat in the bussh.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.156 : Briddes ich by-helde, in bosshes [vrr. bussches, buskes] maden nestes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)182 : A much berd as a busk ouer his brest henges.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.19r : [A type of] malue..groweþ..[by] þe heyȝ weye vnder bissches [Add 27329 (f.30vb): busches].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)261 : His browes war like litel buskes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.1.3 : Whoso wole sowe a feld plentevous, let hym first delyvren it of thornes, and kerve asondir..the bussches and the feern.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)77/16 : This kaym wente þorgh breres & busshes as a wylde best.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)111/10 : He went til a wodde..and hidd him in a thikk busk.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)178a/a : Iuniperus is a brush or bush.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)56 : Buske or busshe: Rubus, dumus.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)758 : Amonge the buskes he ȝede And gedirs..Wodde, a fyre to make.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)267 : Boisschis and breris.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Virtue (Hrl 2255)54 : To hurt wers than brymbyl, busk, or breere.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)416/16 : A buske at grew in þe syde of þe pytt.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)141 : In grobbyng and stokkyng off treis, busses, and groves.
- c1475 Guy(4) (Cai 107/176)7585 : Vndyr a bussch ther he fonde A pore pylgryme syttande.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.2.57a : Foule buskes and wilde, þat myght not fructefyen.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2779 : Vt of ðat busk ðe brende..God sente an steuene brigt and heg.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)127/19 : Þou art þe bosche of synay.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 12.26 : Han ȝe not rad in the book of Moyses, on the bousche [WB(2): buysch], hou [etc.].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1658 : O moder mayde..O bussh vnbrent, brennyng in Moyses sighte.
- c1390 Heil be þow Marie Moodur (Vrn)14 : Heil Busch Brennyng þat neuer was brent.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5743 : Quen he þis busk ner-hand had sene, Wit blome and leif he fand it gren.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)39/13 : The place where Moyses saugh oure lord god in a brennynge bussch [Eg: busk].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)52/18 : A grene busch as fyre doth flame.
3.
(a) Bushes or underbrush serving to conceal hunters or fighters, an ambush; leien a ~, lay a trap; bush-net; [cp. embushen]; (b) an attack from ambush.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2887 : Do þat þaye in-buched beo..In þe wode..Þan schullaþ our men..breken out of þe bossche..& be-trappe hem þar.
- a1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Paris n.a. lat.699)787 : A busche net [vrr. sparewe net, serundel; glossing AF (Cmb) severoundel].
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1789 : Who take hede of þe begynnyng, what fal shal of þe ende, He leyith a bussh to-fore the gap, þer fortune wold in ryde.
- a1475 Heart & Eye(3) (Lngl 258)24 : To chase Gret hertes..we went for to embrace Many braunches of Elme and of hable tre, With whiche to dresse vs a good standing place, We made vs busshes wel.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.135 : The fouler..in the busk for his desate is hid.
b
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2005 : And if a bosh come on on eny side, A better bosh on hem from our subside.
4.
Miscel. uses: (a) a branch (of a shrub or tree); a fresh branch on a tavern sign (to indicate that wine is served); a rod or switch (for flogging); (b) a wisp (of brambles), a tuft (of sod); (c) a limb (of a tree); a fagot (of firewood).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1450) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.448a : An iron to hang with busshes upon the sign.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21259 : The grene bussh that hangeth out Ys a sygne..Outward, folkys for to telle That with-Inne ys wyn to sell; And for al that..wyn ys ther noon.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)43/251 : A grett olyve bush þis dowe doth us brynge.
- a1500 Listyns lordingus to (Cmb Ff.5.48)p.206 : With balefull buskeys ye hym bete.
b
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)7.402 : Bosk [Hnt: a wips of breres].
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)992 : Þe bare for tene þan whet his tuskes, And wrot þe erth vp al in buskes.
c
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)283/4 : He clambe up to the faucon and tyed the lunes to a grete rotyn boysh, and threwe the hauke downe with the buysh.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)678/7 : Two cartis every day walkyng in the wode of Shottore to cary busshes to the nede of the mynchons.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1286) Anc.Deed (PRO) 4 ()99 : Tribus milibus de talwode [to be rendered at Westminster..if he fail in the payment of the said..] busche [by the date named, he binds himself to be compelled thereto by the archdeacons of Westminster].
Note: Antedates sense 4.(c).--per AFH
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.--per MLL