Middle English Dictionary Entry
calven v.
Entry Info
| Forms | calven v. Also calfe. |
| Etymology | A *calfian; cp. WS cealfian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a cow: to give birth to (a calf), have a calf; ben calved, of a calf: be born; of a cow: have a calf; (b) of a hind: to bear a fawn; ben calved, of a fawn: be born.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)301a/a : Þe cowe..calueþ in þe tenþe monþe..& comuneliche sche calueþ oon calf.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Job 21.10 : The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede [WB(1): bar] not a deed calf; the cow caluyde [WB(1): bar], and is not priued of hir calf.
- a1425 *Trev.Barth.(Mrg M 875)306b/a : Whan þe kyne ben ofte caluid and haue meny calues.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1223 : A calf aȝen kynde calued in þe temple & eued an ewe-lombe.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)619/44 : Vitulo: to calue.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.451 : A yonge calfe..calvede [Trev.: enyed] a lambe in the myddes of the temple.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)21a : To Calfe: fetare.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)52 : Yeff a male calfe be seke when it is calvid.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)280a/a : Whan þe hynde schal calue..and goþ wiþ calue eighte monþes and calueþ at oones.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)16-7 : Comonly þei ben calued in May, and the hynde bereþ he calf ix monthenys..þe [read: þai] calue sumtyme rathere and somtyme lattere.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)109 : But if it be an hynde þat haþ hur calf in þe wode and haþ late caluyd.