Middle English Dictionary Entry
clēche n.
Entry Info
| Forms | clēche n. Also cleike, cleke. |
| Etymology | Cp. clēchen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Grasp; pl. clutches; at a ~, in a single haul, at a sweep; (b) some kind of game; (c) a pastoral staff, crosier; (d) as a name.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)47a : Beoð ofdred of euch mon..leste he..biswike wið sunne & weiti forte warpen up on ow his cleches.
- c1390 Þe man þt luste (Vrn)59 : But ȝif he kepe him out of heore cleche [rime: apeche, wreche], For his soþ sawe he schal be schent.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2163 : May vs noȝt limp..To couer be cas at a cleke courseris a thousand?
b
- (1446) Proc.Privy C.6.50 : At Blanke Chapelton þer is maad severall places to pleye at þe [deleted: teneys] balle, at þe cleche, at þe dys.
c
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)85 : Cleyke, staff: Cambusca.
d
- (1221) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.531148 : Peter Clech.
- (c1272) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.150 : Philip Cleche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1398) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.161 : [At Wyche he had a vessel called] clech [and a] pryme [for drawyng water worth 10 d.].
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: a vessel for drawing water.
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. Provisional revised form section: Also cleke, cleike, (in name) clech; pl. (early) cleches.--notes per MLL