Middle English Dictionary Entry
cataracte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cataracte n. Also catarac, cat(t)erak. |
| Etymology | OF & L; ult. Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One of the 'floodgates' of heaven; ~ of the ether; (b) med. a cataract of the eye.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3291 : It sempte, in þe hiȝe hevene Þe cataractis hadde bene vn-do.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)306 : Ye nobyl deyfyid sygnys, abstracte From erthly mancionnis to the asuryd fyrmamente; Sum fyx and sum reuoluying to and fro, in maner of the cateracte, Be-twene the poolys.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)51/190 : The catteraks I trowe be knytte..Þe clowdes are waxen clere.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)33/343 : Behold to the heuen the cateractes all, That are open full euen, grete and small.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)36/451 : Now are the weders cest and cateractes knyt.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)9 : Cataracta, a catarac of the ethere, i. via subterranea.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)249/20,23 : Cateracta is water þat falliþ doun bitwixe þe ij skynnes of þe iȝe & abideþ tofore þe place þat is clepid pupilla..& þan it defendiþ þat a man mai not se; & it is clepid cataracta bi þe liknes of an instrument þat is a mille.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)6a/a : Of sikenes of cornee, which be nombred 10: ffirst of maculis i. spottez, after of cataractez [*Ch.(2): schotes; L catharacta].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)73a/b : I haue often tymez seen..kataractez [*Ch.(2): catheractes] folow for wondez of circumstauncez of þe eie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)132a/a : Catharacta [*Ch.(2): cataracte] is a macule of panniclez within þe eie afore þe pupille.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)134a/a : Þe catharacte [*Ch.(2): catheracte] is confermed & demed gode & able to be vnderput.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cataract.