Middle English Dictionary Entry
clōthing ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | clōthing ger. Also clahting, claȝing, cloting, clothingue. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Clothes, wearing apparel; dress, garb; (b) in phrases and proverbs: seculer ~, garb of a layman; ~ maketh man, clothes make the man.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19064 : Tiss lif..toshædeþþ All Cristess follc fra defless follc..Inn etinng & inn drinnkinng ec, I claþinng & i trowwþe.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3187 : Ich þe wole hire bi-wete and sende hire in one sipe mid seolue hire cloþing.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)253 : Mete he ȝaf him luyte i-nov, and to cloþingue wel lasse.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1434 : Hi nome of him þat riche cloþ þat arst hi in him putte to beo his cloþinge.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)216/22 : Hi ssolle habbe clenliche cloþinge.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)44.11 : Ðe quene stode at þy ryȝt half in gildan cloþyng [L vestitu].
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3556 : Corowned was she..And ful of perree charged hir clothynge.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.265 : Þerynne slepeþ seuen men..and beeþ hool and sound in body and cloþinge [L vestibus].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.23 : Þat on Clothing is, from Chele ow to saue.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.196 : They shullen be naked in body as of clothyng [vr. clotyng].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.989 : And he was..delicat Of his clothing.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4655 : And clahtyng [Trin-C: Cloþing] on him lette he falle.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)4539 : Loke cloding [Trin-C: cloþing] neu on him be done.
- (1402) Let.Zouche in RES 8 (PRO E 101/512/10)261 : As touchyng the Clotyng and þe horn the wych I sente to ȝow fore, I pray ȝow that ȝe wole do ȝour besynesse that I Myȝte haue hyt.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7275 : No man shulde hate..The pore man in sich clothyng.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2355 : She hadde..clothyng at hire wille.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)35/11 : My cownsel wyl not ȝyf me to professe ȝow in so synguler a clothyng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.35 : The kyng this Compenye þere say..barefoted and In pore Clothenge.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113b : Loke þat..þe mennes clothinge be coloured wiþ vynett colour.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)161/296 : Rest yow, kynngys in rych clothyng.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4244 : Ye must chaunge your Array With sum pore man, and take ye his clothing.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6250 : The xl thousand maydens deere..Were take in seculer clothing [F dras du siecle].
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)27/27 : An eld monk..had ben tresowrer..whyl he was in seculer clothyng.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.102 : Looke suche clothyng as þou shalt weere, Keepe hem as clenly as þou can..ffor clothyng ofte maketh man.
- c1475 Prov.Wisd.(RwlPoet 32)59 : Euer maner and clothyng makyth man.
2.
(a) The livery of a guild, corporation, etc.; the garb worn by a member on special occasions; ben in (of) the ~, be a member of a guild, etc.; hol ~, full membership; out of the ~, not having membership; (b) the livery or official garb of a king's officer; (c) the garb of a monastic order; the ~ maketh not the monek, it takes more than the monastic habit to make a monk; (d) priestly vestments; (e) the garb of a jester.
Associated quotations
a
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.195/23,26 : All tho that beyn in the Clothing schull paye ij s. vj d..And all tho that bien owte of the clotyng..schall paye xij d.
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.196/45 : And ȝyf eny of the compaignie be put owt of the compaignie..he schalle nowȝt be take in-to the clotyng aȝeyn withowten the comun assent of the same Fraternite.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)446 : On qwich day alle the bretheren and susteren schul..weren her clothyng and holden her feste.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)452 : Alle men þat arn to ben resceiued in-to this Fraternite and Gylde, and..arn in othere companyes and clothyngge.
- (1447) Oath Bk.Colchester186 : That fro thys tyme forward no baillif, Justice of the pees, Coronere nor Clavyour be electe..but if he be, at tyme of the eleccion, of the hole clothyng of the seid toun.
- (1450) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.323 : The Maisters and Wardeins..shall not admitte or resseiue eny persone into the bretherhede or clothing of the same craft Wythoute the common assent of the bretheren..euery brother enfrauncheised and being of the clothing thereof..euery man that is so enfrauncheised of the same craft and is not of the clothing of the same.
- (1451) Grant Arms in Young Barber-S.432 : And so notablie ordeyned to be custumed every Craft clothing be hem self to know o Craft from a nother.
b
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.114 : The kyngges of armes heraudes..han had..here lyvere clothing lyk to other squiers of the Kyngges court.
- (1450) RParl.5.193b : Provided also, that this present Act..extende not ne be prejudicial to James Horneby, ner to Thomas Osbarn, oure Sergeauntz at armes, of or in the grauntez..of her seid Office, with the wages to either of theym of xii d. by the day, and their several clothing.
- (1461) RParl.5.473b : For paiement of the fees, rewardes and clothinges of the Kynges Justices, Sergeaunts, and Attorney.
- (1464) RParl.5.546a : That this Acte..extende not..to oure Graunte..unto hym for th'office of Sergaunt of Armes, with the wages of xii d. by day..and oure Lyvere of Clothyng, yerly to be taken at oure grete Warderobe.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)153 : Þat no man haue any office of þe kynges yefte, but he be ffirst sworne that he is seruant to non oþer man, or woll..take is clothynge or ffee while he seruyth þe kyng.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)165/31 : Vor þe cloþinge [Vices & V.(2): þe abite] ne makeþ naȝt þane monek.
- (1414) RParl.4.58a : The forseide Priour and Chanons hav us endited by men of her owne clothyng.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)36/18,19 : Of þair claþing spekis sain Benet in þis sentence, and sais þat man sal claȝing til ilkain eftir þat tay ere.
d
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)220/22 : There come a-nother i-cloþed in pontifical clothynge.
e
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)271 : He rod al oþer vnlyke; An ape rod of his cloþing.
3.
Coll. Cloth coverings; bedclothes, hangings (of a sepulcher), swaddling clothes, trappings (of a horse).
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.433 : To manye delicat horses ..in to curious harneys, as in sadeles..peytrels and bridles couered with precious clothyng.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5130 : Þai wid þaim ledd..clathing [Trin-C: cloþing] bath for bac and bedd.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)8599 : Þair clothing [vrr. beddyng, clathes] was sua nede and fa.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)305 : Such may be likenyd to faire sepulcris, þe which ben..ornyd with precious clothing of silke and of palle.
- a1500 The fyrst day wan (BodPoet e.1)p.28 : In an ox stall the chyld was fownd; In por clothyng the chyld was wond.
4.
(a) Fig. Spiritual garb; chastity, compassion, etc., as clothing of the soul; ~ of humanite, incarnation; ~ meknes, an appearance of meekness, sheep's clothing; (b) fig. a covering; (c) anat. a membrane, membranous covering.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.197 : Vertues which that is the clothyng of soule.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1054 : Clothe yow..in herte of misericorde..suffraunce, and swich manere of clothynge.
- a1400 A tresour (Hrl 7322)p.260 : Castitas..is a worsshipful Cloþinge.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)64/28 : He haþ lefte vs his pees to be oure tristi cloþing, for if we be cladde þerynne, we schal ouercome ouer enemyes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)10.7 : Fals prophetis, that comes in clathynge of meknes and withinen ere wers than wolfis.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)308 : He [Jesus]..Took the meeke clothyng of our humanyte.
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6485 : Faire wymmen it beeþ of prijs -- Her here her cloþing is.
- a1450(?c1405) Mannys soule (Dgb 102)7 : The flesch is fals..His cloþyng is a dedly skynne.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)688 : Lo! how the trees grenyth, þat nakid wer..but now hir somer clothing Barre.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)58b/a : Þat flux is dedeliche..bredinge quittir & picchinge in þe cloþinge [L panniculis] of þe guttes..Also by wynd closid þat..strecchiþ þe cloþinge of synewys of þe guttis.
5.
An article of clothing, a garment; -- often pl.: clothes; also, vestments; fig. clothinges of shepes, sheep's clothing, an appearance of innocence; clothinges of vengaunce, the spirit of an avenger.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)21.18 : Hij..dep[ar]teden to hem myn cloþynges [vr. cloþes; L vestimenta], & up myn cloþynges hij casten lott.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.59.17 : He is clad with the clothingus [WB(2): clothis] of veniaunce.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.7.15 : Flee fro fals prophetis, the whiche cummen to ȝou in clothingis of sheepis [L vestimentis ovium].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.9.16 : No man putteth a clout of buystous clothe in to an elde clothing.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.12.23 : Þoo þat we trowe to be þe vylere membrys of þe body, to þem we don aboute þe more ful worschype of cloþynges.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)56/21 : Þere in was..clothinges [F vestimentz] & honournementes & the tabernacle of Aaron.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 1.11 : Twoo men stoden biside hem in white cloþinges [L vestibus].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.2701 : Cloth of gold, stonis, & perre Was for princis, with othir fressh clothynges.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)84 : Clothynge, or garment: Indumentum, vestimentum.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.439 : Alexander..commaundede also his frendes to were longe clothenges of clothe of golde.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)184/5 : Marye dude of hire cloþus and cloþed hire with hire beste clothyngis.
6.
The action of dressing; providing with clothes.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Form Conf.(1) (Vrn)340 : In alle þe circumstaunces of pruide: In veyn glorie, holdynge me betere þen I am, in cloþinge, in spekynge in strong beoinge.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)84 : Clothynge, dede: Induicio.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)195 : If y cloþe a nakid man and feede hym hungry..my now seid dedis of cloþing and feedyng schal no man haue save y.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)34a : Also þe armure, þe horsinge, þe cloþinge, þe soude and þe rewarde of kniȝte longeþ to þe cure and þe ouerseynge of þy prefecte.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)798 : I hiȝt þe ȝistirday seuen shyllyng..brok it wel to þi clothyng.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. clothing.