Middle English Dictionary Entry
cā̆se n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | cā̆se n.(1) Also cace, cas(se, chasse. Pl. cāses, cāse. |
| Etymology | AF casse, OF chasse (from L capsa). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A box, chest, casket, case; as a ~, like a chest, as big as a chest; corporal ~, corporas ~, a case or container for a corporal cloth; (b) a quiver for arrows; a case for bows or bows and arrows; (c) a coffin; esp., the repository for the body of a saint or the like; (d) a chest for something sacred, a sort of reliquary; (e) surg. a box or frame for holding a broken limb in position; also, a covering for a wound.
Associated quotations
a
- (1371) Doc.Cust.Sea in NRS 4991 : Sex bale de alum, quatuor case de sope, tria dolia cum lino, et quatuordecim remi de papiro.
- (1394) Wardrobe Acc.Rich.II in Archaeol.62509 : In j caas corei empto pro peculionibus domino imponendis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)242a/a : Of russhes beþ y-made..casis and baskettis to kepe Inne lettres and oþre þinges.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)48 : Þat Edward my sone have..a brake and a gridill and ij hokes in a cace.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)1a/b : Also in his pennaclero i. pennar or casse, he oweþ for to bere 5 instrumentz.
- (1435-6) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7837 : i chalyse wyt a casse & i clothe for to ley on the autere.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)269 : Kace, of Clothynge: Capsa. Kace, or casse for pynnys: Capcella.
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6029 : Also a Corporax, the case of ye ton syde of rede veldevet and ye tother syde of cloth of gold.
- (1449) Will York in Sur.Soc.45110 : De j corporali lineo, et j corporall cace de panno auri.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5647 : A charbocle as a chasse was in þe chefe boll.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1475 : Lengur thei durst not abyd, Bott in a case hy[m] dyd and layd hym by the see syd.
- (1451) Will York in Sur.Soc.45118 : De blode yrens et launcettes in j case, ij s.
- (1453) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)323/11 : Synamon j kase be it gret or small.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15162 : Item, of the Executorz of Edithe Blays, j corporas cace, j couerchyf.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4936 : My tablys of ivory, with ymages grave and ymages of gold, with a blak caas therto.
- (c1465) Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (Bod 6530)327 : iij casis for wax.
- (c1465) Paston4.99 : Item, a crosse with a fott, lx unc', gilthe in to cassys.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1908 : I can not reherce, they were so many thyngis, Couered in caacis [vr. caskettis] many a riche Iewell.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.22.6 : Elam toc an arewe caas [L pharetram] and the char of an hors man.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2080 : In gaude grene hir statue clothed was, With bowe in honde and arwes in a cas [vrr. caas, kas].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)982 : Saw ye..Any of my sustren..Ytukked up, with arwes in hire cas?
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)568/31 : Euery archer [had] ij or iij bawes in a cace.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)386 : The Kinge gave hym a royall crosbowe, the strynges of sylke, the case couered with velvette.
c
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)425/686 : They hadde instruccioun To take the body and the hooly hed And karye it with hem out off the cas off led.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)154/1 : Tho of..Setagire tooke his boones & closed thayme in a chasse [vr. chest; Helm: tombe].
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)210/8 : Nowe golde and siluer kepithe hym; & that said he because of the chasse [vr. casse; Helm: coffre] of golde in þe which he was.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)455/10 : Þe monkis went vnto þe cace at þies ij virgynys lay in, & oppynd it.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Mand.& Sultan (BodeMus 160)95 : The body they bryng unto that place, Wher he salle ly armet in his wede, In a tabernacle or a case.
d
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2256 : Dauid layd þa wandes..In a case [vr. kase] all of syluer clere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21617 : Wit-vten cases [Frf: case] þir dais thre þis cros was men þan wont to se.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)61/336 : Eline Gert make a case of syluer fyne..And closid þarin þat haly tre.
e
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)95b/b : Rogerine putteþ to vnguentum ruptorium with a case [L capsula; *Ch.(2): coyfe] aboue.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)101b/b : I forsoþ somtyme festne it bounden wiþ longe splyntez vn to þe feete..som tyme with a case [L capsa].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)104b/b : Þat he [with broken leg] be sitede bytwene two tables after þe lengþe of all þe legge or in a case [*Ch.(1): canable; L cunabulo] made þerfore.
2.
~ maker, a maker of boxes or chests.
Associated quotations
- (1367) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms231 : Clais Casemaker.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)688/16 : Hic cassarius: a casmaker.
3.
A receptacle within the body, a sac; also fig., the covering of the heart, the heart.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)57a/b : Wiþinne þe caas [L cistulam] of þe galle.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1463 : Kepe hem in þynne hert cas.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1377-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100387 : Item in uno chaliskays et uno godeshous pro rotulis officii.
Note: New form: kais.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: Gloss: "chalice ~, a receptacle for the chalice."--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. case.