Middle English Dictionary Entry
cofī̆n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cofī̆n n. Also cofine, coffin, cophin. |
| Etymology | L cophinus (from Gr.) & OF cofin, coffin. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A basket; a hamper.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)4 Kings 10.7 : Thei..slewen the seuenty men and putten the heuedis of hem in cofynes [WB(2): coffyns; L cophinis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.14.20 : Thei token the relifis of broken gobetis, twelue cofyns [L cophinos] ful.
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)643 : Heil, whos sone fyn Wiþ his mihti honde ffrom Egiptus cofyn [cp. Psalm 80.7] Diliuered us her in londe.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.62 : Þei gedriden and filden twelve coffynes of relif of fyve barly loves.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)85 : Cofyn: Cophynus.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.15 : Gedrenge the litelle partes, to men hungre, of the fragmentes of the cophinnes [Trev.: cupes] remanent.
2.
A chest, box, or case (as for keeping treasures, documents, relics, sweetmeats, etc.); ~ lok.
Associated quotations
- [ (1357-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99124 : In 4 cofynes de Anys comfeyt. ]
- [ (1358-9) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99124 : In uno Cofyne de Gobet Reall..21 d. ]
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.135 : Of þat þat was in cofre & in his cofines, He mad his testament.
- (1402) Let.Zouche in RES 8 (PRO E 101/512/10)260 : Wanne ȝe han al I-do with the Endentours, that ȝe wole late putte hem alle to gader in the grete Coffyn and sende hem hom to Eytoun.
- (1429-30) Rec.St.Mary at Hill72 : A cofyn lok of iron for þe weket, with iij keyes.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1132 : Two precyous relykys..in a cophyn of tre.
- (1449) Will Brugco in Nichols Illust.132 : I bequethe to the same chirche a little round cofyn of sylver.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1913 : Twa coffyns thou most fylle Of golde and of preciouse stonnys.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)p.230 : He locked hit fast in a grete Cofin under ij lockes.
- (1454) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)353/20 : Item j gret square cofyn wt j lede to ley in baners.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)10454 : Thanne resoun..Out off a Coffyn a lettre took.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.S.349 : Þe emproure þan dyd a chofyn to wyrche, Þe arm to abyed styll in þe chyrche.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)279 : A letter seled in a coffin..peynted with the armes of kynge Vrien.
3.
(a) Cook.a pastry crust or casing, a coffin; ~ cote; (b) the rind of a fruit.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.75 : Make a Coffyn an ynche depe & do þe fars þerin..couere the coffyn and bake it wel.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)442 : Make balles therof as gret as an appull..then make a coffyn of paste schapet aftur hit and lay hit therin and bake hit.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)134/12 : Take half a pounde of fayir sawge..and do it in a coffyn of qwete-dow, als þou woldyst a capoun, and sette it in-to an howyn qwanne men settyn in dow for to bake.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.34 : To keep herbz over þe wyntur. Take floure and rere þo cofyns..And stop one fulle up to þo ryng; Þenne close þo lyd..bake hom..Sythun kepe hom drye.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)478 : Open hem aboue þe brym of þe coffyn cote..Of capon, chiken, or teele, in coffyn bake, Owt of þe pye furst þat ye hem take.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)640 : Þus must ye diȝt a lamprey owt of his coffyn cote.
b
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)44/18 : Þe cofyn of a pome-garnade.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)50/33 : Þe herte is couerde of a litil maner smale cofyne wiþ a stronge pannikel, and Galien clepeþ it pericardium.
- ?a1425 Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)54/30 : Þe cofine of þe herte oþer þe case..mowe conserue aboute þe herte þe hete.. þat it go not a-brode in alle þe breste..it schulde defende þe herte fro diseses þat cummen fro wiþ-outen.
Note: New sense and phrase.
Note: Gloss: "Anat. a membranous sac-like body cavity; ~ of the herte, the pericardium.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)92/12, 15 : Take ii pond of fayre sauge..and do it in a cophyn of whete dogh..and sette it into an ouene, whan men setten in here houenes to baken; and whane they drawe forth, take thy coffyn and breke it..and hange it in a ii galoun vessel and fill it ful of good whyt wyne..lat the seke drynke..ther-of.
Note: Quot. postdates sense 3.(a).
Note: In sense 2., the combination ~ lok is left unglossed, suggesting that it is a lock for a box or chest, although the quot. indicates that the lock is for a door or a gate. It more likely refers to a certain type of lock (perhaps a square or rectangular one--?and thus, shaped like a box or coffin). The modern combination 'coffin lock' is a panel connector composed of two parts (male and female) which are drawn together and locked.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. (Provisional revised form section: Also cofine, coffin, cophin, chofin; pl. cofines, etc. & coffines, cophinnes.)--all notes per MLL