Middle English Dictionary Entry
cī̆pres(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cī̆pres(se n. Also cypres(se, cipris(s, sipres(se, cupresse & cipir, cipur. Pl. cī̆pres(ses. |
| Etymology | OF ciprès (from L cypressus). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens); ~ tre; (b) gumme of ~, cypress resin; note of ~, the 'nut' or seed of the cypress.
Associated quotations
a
- [ c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)16/13 : Cypressys tacnæð þone fæder, Cedrys tacnæð þone sunæ, Pinus tacnæð þone halȝæ gast. ]
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1217 : Of cedre was þe first rote þer inne grewe our allre bote, Cipres, þe plane tre, þe ferþe was oliue.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)131/34 : Uirtue wext an heȝ ase palme oþer ase cipres oþer ase cedre.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)69 : Þe sauyne and sypres [vrr. sipres, cypresse, cipresse], selcouþ to sene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166b/b : Þere ben cedres and palmes & cipresse & olyue, and þe lycour and reysyn þerof ben chief medicynes aȝens yuel and harmes of dyuers sekenesse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217b/b : Cipresses ben y cleped conefere..of cipresse is double maner kynde, male and femal.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5776 : Peryes, cypres, and olyuers.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1381 : With cipres and with olyveres.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)61/18 : Cedres and cipressez.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186b/b : Cipresse is a tree hote in þe firste degre, drye in þe secounde degree.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)179 : The cipresse, deth to playne.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)10.38 : Ther douves donge instrie, And leues of cupresse.
- c1475 Regina celi qwene (Hrl 2251)42 : As a Cedre I am..And as cypres in science also. I am the fruyte of the hye godhede, I bere the grapes Crist to feede.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)24b : Cypirtre: cipressus, cipressinus.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)235 : Ther dwellyth a yeaunt in a foreste..Cypur treys there growe owte longe.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)277 : Cypur treys were growyn owte.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)78/1 : Þe crosse..was made of foure treus: cydyr, cypur, olyue and palme.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)89/2 : Notts of cipris.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)99/7 : Gumme of cipresse.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)132/1 : Þe note of a cipres.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)176a/a : Hote medecynes..notes of þe cipresse tre [L nuces cipressi].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)182b/b : Þe note of cipresse.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)245/1 : Take þe appullis of sypressus and ete hem, or þe pouder of þe applys dryed.
2.
Cypress wood [prized for its durability and fragrance].
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.657 : Þe reftes al cipres be, þat swote smal casten he Ouer al aboute.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2054 : Þe first of Cyder sothely es, þe secund sall be of Cypres, And þe thred of Pyne sall be.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1328 : Al þe coples cipres were & þe raftres wer al-so.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2071 : His spere was of fyn cipres.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8007 : Wandes..O cedre and pine and cipres [Göt: cypress].
- a1400 Bk.Mother (Eg 826)39 : The tymber of oure hous is of cedur and of cypresse, that schal never rote.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)1654 : Þe sparres of þat chambre fre Of sipresse þanne shulle þey be.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)112b : Of cipresse and of vyr and of pyne tre..þou maist make þi galeyes.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.40/6 : My lytell Cipres table.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)153 : Þe trees of þe crosse wer palme, cedre, cipresse, and oliue.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2623 : Fir and cipresse..Therfore is good..And ook is holden good in this cuntre.
- (1474) Paston (Gairdner)5.207 : My wryghtyng box of syprese.
- a1475 Lovely lordynges (Brog 2.1)p.4 : The postes schal be of syperesse, The furste tre that Jhesu chesse, Off bale to be owre bote.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)790 : Shaftez to-bristen, All to-sprongen into sprotes sperez of cipriss.
- a1500 Alex.-Cassamus (Cmb Ff.1.6)377 : In the chamber of Venus ful of swetnesse, I-bylt of sypres..Holde hir parlement these lusty folkys alle, Spekyng and talkyng of louyng par amour.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.182 : [Thomas archbishop of Canterbury..held..a wood called..]Dyngdon [of no yearly value beyond the keep of the game..a wood called] Sipersuode..[in which 4 acres..can be felled yearly].
Note: New form: Also..(in name) sipers-.
Note: New sense: In name.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)235 : A geant hase a forest..Wyth syprese trees growand lang; Gret hertis walkes þam amange.
Note: New form: Also..siprese.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL