Middle English Dictionary Entry
canē̆l n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | canē̆l n.(1) Also canell(e, canil(l)e. |
| Etymology | OF canele & ML canella. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Cinnamon (in powder, stick, or roll); (b) an inferior grade of cinnamon; also, amomum, q.v.; prob. also, cassia; (c) ~ rinde, dried cinnamon bark; flour of ~, poudre (of) ~, powdered cinnamon; ?also, powdered cassia.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17745 : Muchel canele & gingiuere & licoriz he hom lefliche ȝef.
- (1286) Wardrobe Acc.de Clare in Archaeol.7044 : De eodem x libre Canelle..precium libre ix d.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)76 : Trie maces beþ þe flure, Þe rind canel of swet odur.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.632 : Fykes, reisyn, dates, Almaund, rys, pommegarnates, Kanel and setewale.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.101 : Tak peper and kanel and gynguer bred and grynd hem in a morter.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.24.20 : As canel [L cinnamomum] and balsam smellende, I ȝaf smel.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.99 : In Arabia is store, mir and canel [L cinnamomum].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1704 : A sek man for his hele Takth baldemoine with Canele.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)214a/b : Amomum haþ þat name ffor it smelleþ as Canel [L cinnamomum] doþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/a : Cassia..is liche to canel [L cinamomo] in vertue but nouȝt so mighty in effecte..þerfore in medicyns ofte double weighte þer of is y-take in stede of canel.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)76/8 : Ȝeue him..fleisch a litil sauerid with swete spicerie: as canel [Add: kanell; L cinamomo].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186b/b : Cynamome or canell, swete smellynge spice, hote & drye in þe secounde degree.
- (1436) in Rec.B.Nottingham 2156 : Item, pro canell, vj d.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)6 : Þan take canel, clowes, maces, graynys of parise..an caste þer-to.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)238/7 : Or take..cassia, canell, safron.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)210/664 : Take vynegre and old swynes grese and canile stampid togedir.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)127/32 : For þe stomak..sinamomum i. canell.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.28 : Pare gynger and canel gode.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)710/39 : Hoc cinamonum: canylle.
b
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)95/17 : And Eue and Seeth..tooken wiþ hem swete oynementis..þat is, Nardum and Crocum and Calamynte and Cynamonium and Canel.
- (1428) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)179/9 : Synamon or canel.
- (1429) RParl.4.361a : Yat is to say, Gyngever was at ix d., Piper viii d. Clowes, Macez, Synomom', Canell and grene Gynger, bytweyn xii and xiii d.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)60 : Canel, spyce: Cinamomum, amomum.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)135 : Looke þat your stikkes of synamome be thyn..hoot, & swete, þat is best & sure, For canelle is not so good in þis crafte & cure.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)21a : Canell: Cinamomum, amomum.
- a1500(a1451) Commodities Eng.(LdMisc 593)553 : They brynge all maner of Spycys, as 1 Peper..6 Synamon, 7 Saffron, 8 Canell.
c
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.110 : Flowr of canel and clowys.
- (1387) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.66 : [30 lb. of] canelrynde.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.19 : Take flour of Canell and medle with sum of the wyne..take clowes and flour of canel hool and cast þerto.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.50 : Grynde powdour of canel, powdour douce, & aneys hole.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)427 : Do therto verjus and pouder of canel.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)34 : Caste also þer-to pouder Pepyr..pouder Canelle, Synamoun, & Salt..þen take floure of Canelle & pouder of Gyngere.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)198/8 : Wasch thyn mowth [with water] þat p[o]wdyr of canell ys soden in.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)106 : Take..a peny wyȝt of flour of canel.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)27/1 : Doo þere-inne powdir of canell.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)119/20 : Take..flour of canell.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)301 : Anoynt it in powder of canell and yeve her, and she shal be hoole.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)96/23 : Take..a penywyght of spikenard and Id. wyghte of poudre of canele.
2.
(a) The tree (Cinnamomum zelanicum) from whose inner bark cinnamon is made; (b) ?a stick of cinnamon.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)83 : Þe Briddes in Blossoms, þei beeren wel loude..On croppus of canel [vr. þies canelles] keneliche þei croude.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218a/a : Canel [L cinamomum] is a schort tree wiþ good smyl.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)218b/a : Þe tree of Cassia groweþ faste by Cynamomum..and his spray is gretter þan þe spray of canel [L cinamomi].
b
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)27 : Put ther to..an unce of canelles.