Middle English Dictionary Entry
busken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | busken v. Also bosken, buschen. |
| Etymology | Cp. OI būask. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To make preparations, get ready, prepare (to do sth.); (b) to prepare (sth.), get (sb.) ready, arrange; make (sth.); ~ debat, quarrel, make strife; ~ him, make (sth.) for himself, get (persons) ready for himself; (c) refl. to prepare oneself, get ready.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)144 : Þai busked and maked hem boun.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)923 : Now boskes tristre þe fre, To inglond for to founde.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)59 : He busked boþe niȝt & day, Oȝain hem for to ride.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)20 : Þe morwe he boskeþ vp to rise.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11585 : Rise vp, ioseph, and busk and ga.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1896 : Þen past þei furth..To the forest..and þore þei buskyd to abyde.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)583 : The yeant buskyd and made hym bowne.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)349 : The heraudis..Bad them buske and make them yare.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1642 : He busked him al so swiþe Boþe squier and kniȝt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1152 : Þanne busked þei here batayles.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)414 : Þe kyng boskes lettres a-non to bounen his bernes.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)527 : His broþer and a batayle weore bosket bi-sydes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)437 : Þer he busked hym a bour, þe best þat he myȝt, Of hay & of euerferne & erbez a fewe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2248 : Busk no more debat þen I þe bede þenne.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1618 : Now bownes þe Bretons..Buskez theire batells, theire baners displayez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2298 : Thane they bussches and bawmede þaire honourliche kyngis, Sewed them in sendell sextifaulde aftire.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)936 : Þey hadde þer godes lad, Byside þe casteles busked [vr. bussed] & spred, & Brutus saugh his men wel dyght.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2676 : Þe cite þan he..sesid..& busked [Dub: buskett] þare his sete.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)233 : My Qwene..In þe ȝondere balowe-fyre is buskedde to brenne.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.590 : Þe Danismen busked hem ȝare, Into batayle for to fare.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)83 : Þai busked hem & made hem yare, To costentin for to fare.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.11 : A pigmey boskeþ hym [L se præparat; vr. præparat] to bataille.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5040 : Þai buskid þaim [Trin-C: redied hem] in þair way to wend.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1607 : Those worthily in wede..buskede þam and to bedde ȝede.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1633 : They buskede them bownn with baners displayede.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4238 : On pilgremage ychon of hem boskede hem to go.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)146 : Þay buskute hom and furth rade.
- c1450 Siege Troy(1) (ArmsAr 22)115 : Buschet ȝow & make ȝow ȝare.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)215/219 : Than they busked theym to goo, Horse they toke and harnesse also.
2.
To provide (sb. with sth.), furnish; refl. get, obtain, find.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25282 : Þe bodi has nede o bath, To busked be o [Frf: wiþ] mete and clath.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)333 : Of uche best þat berez lyf, busk þe a cupple.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)567 : There schalle on Mounte Bernarde be beyldede anothere, Buschede with banerettes and bachelers noble.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)373 : Þe grete clerke..wendis..To loke & layte him a loge..And buske him a bedsted.
3.
(a) To clothe (sb.), array (sth.), adorn; arm (a soldier); cover (sth. with leaves); also, get dressed, array oneself, dress up; (b) refl. to clothe oneself, get dressed, adorn oneself.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3196 : Þe [read: þere] were beddes busked for eny burn riche.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)111 : God sat in his blisse bosked in heuene.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)153 : He hedde I-ben of heiȝ blod hedde he ben I-bosket, And a ferli feir mon.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)142 : Þou, burne, for no brydale art busked in wedez.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)867 : Sir Libeaus..comaunde maide Elene..Buske and make her boun.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4339 : All was buskede in blake, birdes and othire, That schewede at the sepulture.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1443 : Þare was a ryalle roffe..It was busked abowe With besantes fulle bryghte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2214 : Twa thousand be tale he titely comaundis, Of wele buskid bernns in brenys & platis.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)22 : Bothe my body and my bowe I buskede with leues.
b
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)51 : Hue boskeþ huem wiþ botouns, ase hit were a brude.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1220 : I wolde boȝe of þis bed & busk me better.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)741 : Waspasian..busked [vrr. bownyd, arayde, raies] hym fayr..in fyne gold cloþes.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)545 : I sall neuer were the more, Ne oþer habite for to bere, Bot buske me bremly to þe were.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)315/2189 : I busked me in queynt manere, Right as I a fole were.
4.
(a) To go (to a person or place), betake oneself; esp., go hastily; ~ of bed, hop out of bed; ~ to bed, hasten to bed; (b) to drive (sb. somewhere), impel (sth.); ~ out, chase out; ~ up, raise (a banner); ~ up herte, lift up one's heart, take courage; (c) refl. to go (somewhere), betake oneself, make one's way, hasten (to a place).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2942 : Boþe busked þat niȝt To beliagog in lede.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)57/181 : Þai bosked to þe biriing.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1653 : What wise we mow best buske of þis lond.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1997 : Bid hire busk of hire bed & bliue be atyrid.
- c1390 Nou Bernes (Vrn)23 : Whon we buske vn-to vr bere, Aȝeyn vr wille we take vr leue.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.39 : Many of þo Danes..busked Westward, forto robbe eft.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)834 : Er ever þay bosked to bedde, þe borȝ watz al up.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)962 : Whedyre buskes þou, berne?
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7019 : Anselot anon as hit was day, Ganne buske fast oute of his bedde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1322 : To batell on bent þai busket anon.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.75 : Þei busked for þe busches and breris þat hem noyed.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)112 : The bischop..buskyd þiderwarde bytyme on his blonke.
b
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)13 : Þer þei bosked hem out þat hudden hem in huirenes, Made hem to huppe half an hundret foote.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)351 : Bestez, as I bedene have, bosk þerinne als.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2855 : Banerettez of Bretayne, buskes vp ȝour hertes!
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3072 : Thay buske vpe a banere abowne the brode ȝates.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.22.18a : Deth..sparith no persone..But buskith you vnto the pittes brynk.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)21 : Þe child..buskede him out of þe buschys.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1530 : Þei went in to william..& busked hem euen to his bed.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5500 : Roland hyt hurde..& gan to busky hym þenne.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.14 : Þe Iustise soone Busked him [vr. hem] in-to þe Bour þer þe Buyrde was Inne.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)56/453 : Heo buskeden hem to þe burienge.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.133 : Buske ȝow to that bote and bideth ȝe ther-inne.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)5/22 : Busk þe vnto Brug and abide þare.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)75/10 : Alexander lepe apon his horse Buktiphalas and busked hym agaynes þam [elephants].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1306 : To þe bothum of þe baistell he buskis [Dub: buskez] him without.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)148/67 : Buske we us hens to bedleem boure.
- a1475 Fulfyllyd ys (Hrl 5396)p.237 : But, lordys, buskys ȝou out of boure. Ffor to hold up this londus honour.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)217/2 : When they hadde dwellyd there longe, they buskyd hem in-to the parties of Parsyde.
5.
To hurry, be quick, hasten (to do sth.); -- also refl.; ~(oneself)of, get out of (sth.) quickly; ~ on wedes, put on (one's) clothes speedily; ~ up, hurry up, make haste.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)173 : Hit big was & bold to buschen on felde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2354 : Buske þe of þis bere fel bi-liue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5087 : Bot buskus [Frf: buske; Göt: rape; Trin-C: hyȝe] yow suith bun to ga.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)633 : Þe burne to be bare-heved buskez hym þenne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1128 : Gestes þat go wolde, hor gromez þay calden, & þay busken vp bilyue, blonkkez to sadel.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2284 : Bot busk, burne..Dele to me my destine & do hit out of honde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4026 : How þai bere hom in batell, I buske me to say.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1506 : Oure bischop bounes him of bed & buskis on his wedis.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)815 : Þai buske with speres hir to sla.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)167/31 : That ye busk not to brall nor lyke not to ly This tyde.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)48 : Glade was Launcelet de Lacke..syr Percivall..and Lanfalle..Syr Gawen was stward of þe halle, He was master of hem all And buskyde hem bedenne.
Note: Needed for date in sense 1.(a).
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