Middle English Dictionary Entry
butte n.(4)
Entry Info
| Forms | butte n.(4) Also bott(e |
| Etymology | Cp. MDu. bot blunt, stubby; OI buttr short, ?būtr log of wood; also, cp. OE buttuc end, short piece of land. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The end of a spear or pike opposite the head, butt; (b) naut.?the end of a plank in a ship's side; ?also, one of the planks.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)14640 : Euery man..made hem..Piked staues with heuy bottis.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)47/24 : Gryfflet smote on the shylde with the butte of hys spere.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)563/15 : Sir Trystram awakyd hym wyth the butte of hys speare.
b
- (c1419) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.2.172 : Ther be twey new Carrakas of makyng at Bartholem, the on of xiiij c botts that other off x c botts.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)737/24 : Hic lumbus, a bott. Hic malus, a mast. Hic velum, a saylle.
2.
(a) The lower part of the nose; (b) cook. a buttock of beef, pork, mutton; ?also, the thick end of the loin.
Associated quotations
a
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)228/15,17 : Thay that haue the butte of the noose grete and rounde, bene rude of witte and lykenyd to Swyne; And thay that haue the butte of the Noose sharpe, bene strongly angry and lykenyd to houndys.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)234/4 : Who-so hath a lei and Plate noose amyd, stoupynge to-warde the butte, he is a iogoloure and a lyer.
b
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)40 : Take..motoun of þe bottes, & kytte in þe maner of Stekys.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)53 : Take & smyte fayre buttys of Porke, & buttys of Vele, to-gederys.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)58 : To mak pyes of pairis, tak..fair buttes of pork and buttes of vele..To mak hairblad opyne, tak Buttes of pork and smyt them to peces.