Middle English Dictionary Entry
clōsūre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | clōsūre n. Also -our, -eure, -ir. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An encircling structure or barrier, such as a wall, fence, hedge, or moat; (b) a cover (of a book).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.870 : Beestes..that breketh the hegge or the closure.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5629 : Al þe rofe and closure enviroun Was of fyn gold.
- (1433) RParl.4.458a : To breke doun the closyr of the said Parke and Close.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick2.196 : Thomas Hylle, late chanon of the saide college and other mo chanoins..druwyn downe the closure..the saide bedemen..sewed wylewes for closure of thair gardyne, whiche wylewes oon Watkyn..hew downe by the erthe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.805 : Now rayle hem, and of closure is no doute.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)22a : How þe wardyng and closour schal be made aboute an oost when he restiþ in open felde.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)65a : Þis closure moot be made þus: an hyȝe wal and a þicke moot be rered of turves.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)15 : Fair to yow thanne is this closure that closeth yow and walleth yow in, disseueringe yow from the world.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)26/6 : In cherche-ȝerde or in chapel-ȝerd wyth-inne closure.
- (1464) RParl.5.509a : In defence and fortification of the Walles and Closure of eny of the seid Citees, Boroughs, Tounes or Portes.
b
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)87 : Closure [Hrl 221: Closere] of A Boke or oder lyke: Clausura..Coopertorium.
2.
(a) An enclosed area, such as the yard of a church, college, or castle; (b) law private land, an enclosure.
Associated quotations
a
- (1442) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1387 : Thomas Combe paliser send to make covenant to make the pale of the closure of the college.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4890 : Vp-on þe cop of þe cliffe a closure he fyndis, A palais, ane of þe..proudest in erth.
- (1475) RParl.6.143b : He..shall sufficiently repaire, maintene, and kepe the Chirch of the said Prioury..with the closure of the Cemitorie therof.
b
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Lnsd 851)I.870 : Bestes..þat brekeþ þe hegge of þe closur [vr. closeure].
- (1467-8) RParl.5.599b : The Herbage of all Closures of Quynsell, otherwise called of the Parkes of Quynsell.
3.
Misc. uses: (a) container; fig. repository; (b) fontanel (of the skull); (c) palm (of the hand); (d) monastic seclusion or confinement; (e) closing (of a gate); (f) termination (of life); (g) an artificial obstacle to passage, such as a tollgate.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)44 : Vnder litel closure she made it haue his mesure.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.35.79b : The brest..schuld be a closur of treasoure, schet or closed in maner of an hucche, wher in þat men schal put pryvy thinges þat nede to be saued.
b
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)240/2 : Man sholde vse suffumygacionys of herbis..for that opynyth the closures of the brayne.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)67b/b : In þe closure [*Ch.(2): closynge; L clausura] of þe hand.
d
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)100/17 : Þat alle þe Sustris schulden dwelle..vnder..perpetuel closinge..we comawnde..to alle þo to whom soche kepinge of closure perteniþ.
e
- (1423) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.131/40 : We endite þe porter..for his fals mesures, and þe vtter gate for faute of closure.
f
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)50/6 : O deth..closure [L clausula] of the presente labours, be-gynnynge of reste!
g
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.156v : All the princes confermed that all my men as well marchauntes as other þat by way of prayere wente to Rome that withoute any lette of closurs [L (Wm of Malmesbury): clausura] or thollus with ferme pees they may goo and come.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The gloss for the single quot. in sense 3.(b), "fontanel (of the skull)," does not seem correct: the "brayne" is the organ mentioned in the quot., not the skull, and the gloss "physiol. an obstruction of the flow of bodily humors through an organ" seems more appropriate, since the fontanelles, soft membraneous gaps between the cranial bones, are anatomical features of human *infant* skulls. (See MED clausure n., supplement entry; clōsing ger., sense 2.(d); sparring ger., sense (c); and stopping(e ger., sense 2.(c) for other instances of this quot. from various versions of SSecr..)--per MLL