Middle English Dictionary Entry
cāǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cāǧe n. Also cache, gage. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cage for birds or animals; a coop for domesticated fowls; as brid in ~; (b) fig. a womb; maidenes ~, the Virgin Mary's womb; dethes ~, a grave.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)26b : Hweðer ei totilde ancre fondede eauer þis, þe beakeð eauer utward as untohe brid i cage?
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)2134 : Sire þou hast outrage To leue a pie in a kage.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)104 : For riht,me thinketh, hit fareth bi a prest that is lewed As bi a jay in a kage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.173 : This brid wol doon his bisynesse To eschape out of his cage.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5225/26 : Pro iij cages..pro pullis imponendis.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4004 : Men of holy wyl..leuyd..Alone yn an ermytage, And as meke as bryd yn kage.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.153 : Þei lyued als birde in cage [F oysels en cage].
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)56/22 : Redars..ianglen her lessouns as iaies chatiren in þe cage.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2465 : And on þe cache [vr. kage], water ful clere Powred þai.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)p.237 : The other foule shapyn thyng..we haue..made hit faste in a Cage of yron.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Prevision (Bod 565)6 : Also by yow a cage for half a dosen of hennys or chekyn to have with yow in the galey.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57367 : To Rescharde Monyer fore a kage and a hondered qwayles.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.262 : It fallith as well to..yonge men..to ȝeue good redis, As becometh a kow to hoppe in a cage.
- a1500 Travel Instruc.(CotApp 8)280 : Do ordeyne you a cage atte Venyse..for lx pullene.
b
- c1390 Maidstone PPs.(Vrn)93 : A blisful brid was brouht in Cage..Whon þou weore drawen in tendre age To driuen adoun þe fendes bost.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5002 : Þan she be of twenty wyntres age, For þan she gooþ to deþes cage.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)162/2875 : I wold þou were in þe erthe be-loke..In colde clay schal be þy cage.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.2180 : Lyche to the glas I lykne that maydenes kage..Thus was she clene in hir concepcyon.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)459/52 : Blissed baptiste, closed in the cage Off Elizabeth, at vi moneths age Ryght of hys lord be gane to proficie.
2.
(a) A cage for prisoners; jail, prison, a cell; confinement, captivity; holden (kepen) in ~, to keep (sb.) closely confined, keep (sth.) hidden or secret; also fig.; (b) a small enclosure, room, dwelling; narowe ~, fig. the world.
Associated quotations
a
- (1306) in Bain Cal.Docs.Scotland 2 [OD col.]495, no. 1851 [Chapter House Docs. Box 1 no.4 (7 Nov. 1306)] : [Three of the ladies to be in] Kages.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3604 : In prisoun put was he, And with hym been hise litel children thre..it was greet crueltee Swiche briddes for to putte in swich a cage.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1294 : Thou art at thy large, of prisoun free..greet is thyn auauntage Moore than is myn,that sterue here in a cage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3224 : This carpenter had wedded newe a wyf..Ialous he was and heeld hire narwe in cage.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.218 : In prison nere a ȝere was Edward in cage.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3550 : We..ben yshett so foule in cage.
- (1411-2) Rec.Norwich 258 : [Paid to Robert Clerk for the] kage [near the Morageloft].
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)prol.210 : And be þis preest was it [story of St.Katherine] on-to english men I-sovght and fovnde..hid al in covnseyll a-mong nyne or ten..Thus was thy lyf, lady, kepte in cage.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)127 : With the fauce visage peynted, to thi visage thou shalt make a kage; that is to seye, that thi thouht thou shalt hele with falsnesse.
- ?a1500 Lament.Sinner (Thrn)56-7 : Now am I lokyk [read: lokyt] in a kage. The kage, yt be on byrnyng fyere þat I am ordand in to dwell.
b
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1343 : Dyane was þe ffendes name; In þys temple stod yn a gage [vr. cage] Swich an Erlyk man ymage.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)20466 : His ȝonge sone..forto cowchen jn cradel oþer Kage.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)157/2804 : Go we now knowe my castel cage, In þis bowre I schal þee blys.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.112 : What is youre fame..þat ben so closyd in a narow cage [L breuis habitaculi saeptum]?
3.
(a) An open framework, a platform, a stage for plays; ?also, a place for torture; (b) a movable shed used in sieges, a pluteus.
Associated quotations
a
- (1419-20) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81146 : Et in sal. iij carpentiorum..in septimana Nativ. Sancti Johannis Bapt..Et in salar. Willelmi Pog tegulantis super le cage loure.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12b/b : Catasta: an iren bed or a cage.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)57 : Cage: Catasta.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)269 : Kage: Catasta.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)153/54 : I am kynge, knowyn in kage.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)156/151 : Heyl be þou,kynge,in kage ful hye!
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)20b : A Cage: Catasta.
b
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2441 : The cage pluteal of twiggis plat, Of heerys hath couert and hidis grene.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2548 : Thei ouerthrowe as wel ram as tortoys, The cage and vyneyerd therby myscary.
4.
In names; ~ maker, one who makes coops for poultry.
Associated quotations
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3146 : Johannes atte Cage.
- (1371) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.140 : [To John, his son..he also leaves a tenement called] le Cage.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5225/26 : Super officio pulletrie, per manus Willelmi Kagemaker..x s.