Middle English Dictionary Entry
cōl n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | cōl n.(1) Also coul, coyl & N cāl, kāl. |
| Etymology | OE cāl (beside cā̆wel, from L caulis). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. caul.
1.
Cabbage, kale, colewort, rape, mustard, or some other plant of the genus Brassica; also, any cultivated leafy vegetable, garden greens, pot-herbs.
Associated quotations
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.13 : Take Borage, cool, langdebef, persel, betes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12523,12526 : He sent him to þe yerd..For to gedir þam sum cale..And quils he was þis cale [vrr. cal, col] gaderand.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)46b/a : Orticola: a gardener of coules.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)426 : Take cole and borage.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)53a/b : Melancolyk metes, as ben..cole and soden whete.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)157a/b : Þe asshen of þe rote of commune cole.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186b/a : Caulis is a worte or cole hote in þe firste degre & drye in þe secounde; it matureþ & clenseth.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.223 : Ianyueer..Now cresses sowe..cool [L caules] also.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)100/3 : To-day I eete pes & cale, & to-morn I mon eate pess with cale & after to-morn I mon eate cale with pease.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)241/21 : If ye fynd þar cale & peas & benys, & no noder meatt.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)69 : Take Colys and stripe hem faire fro the stalkes.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)570/27 : Capito: a cole.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.49 : Hakke þy kole..Sethe hom in water ful thyke.
- a1475 Mourn.Hare (Brog 2.1)37 : Yf I syt and crope þe kovle [rime: sovle].
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)85 : To mak hayre or goose poudred in wort..tak coles, the whit of leekes [etc.].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)36.2 : Quem-admodum olera herbarum cito decident..as kale of gressis soen sall thai fall.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)277 : Hys potage was of cale and leke.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)710/19 : Olus: cole.
2.
(a) col-crop, garden greens; ~ garth, vegetable garden; ~ knif, a knife for slicing cabbage; ~ lef, kale or mustard leaf; (b) ~ sed, mustard or rape seed; ~ seller, greengrocer; ~ stok, see quots.; ~ worm, caterpillar, corn weevil; (c) ~ plante, ~ wort = col, sense 1.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)52 : Tak the souredock and falde hit in a kale lefe.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)31/35 : In kichin ouþir in calgard.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)51/9 : For brynyng or schaldynge..lay þer-till a cale lefe.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)76/36 : Tak sawge..kalcroppe, bugill [etc.].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)32/58 : Lay a cole leffe betwene.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)130 : Ley a cowle lef bytwene.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)51 : A Cale garth: ortus..vbi a gardynge.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)102/57 : Both bosters and bragers god kepe vs fro, That with thare long dagers dos mekyll wo, ffrom all byll hagers with colknyfys that go.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)16/19 : Anoynte þy feyte vnder-nyþe and bynd a coule lyf þer-to.
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)25a/a : Eruca: a cowle worm or a kerlok.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)39b/a : Maguderis: a cowle stok.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)644/5 : Hoc magudere: calstok.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)213 : Pro vermibus in ventre..drynk cool seed oþer ach seed.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)21a : A Cale sellere: olitor. A Cale worme: Atacus, Eruga, Curculio, Curculiunculus, Vria, Vrica.
c
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.273 : I haue porettes and percyl and moni Colplontes.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)54 : Whan þei mowe not scombire, þan take the Roote of Coolwort and put it in oyle doliff and putt it in his foundement [etc.].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.100 : Ech cristene man shulde helpe þis vyneȝerde; for growynge of coolwortis and oþer wedis maken malencolie and oþer synnes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)190b/b : Þe tendrownes of colewortes [L caulium].
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)226 : Seþe wel in water þe rede cool wort, wyþ al þe cool stok, & wyþ þe water wasch þe wounde.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)110/16 : For wattirynge eyne. Take a reed cole-wort leef and anoynte it with þe whyte of an ey, and ley it on-to þe eye.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)50/21 : Take þe rede coulwort.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)65/6 : In þe monþ of decembre..coulwort for-bere.
3.
Cook. A pottage of garden greens.
Associated quotations
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)151 : Brede made of branne & water, with cale or oþer symple potage, is gode fode to þe wele-taght wambe.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)39a : In coule oþer in growell oþer in nechs eggis.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)27/37 : Mak cale..Tak malues, mercuryale, longedeboef, arage, borage, cale, violet, percell..& mak potage of thies with fresche porke & buttre.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.46 : For kole. Take fresshe brothe of motene clene..Hakke smalle þy wortis [etc.].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)21/425 : My master suppys no coyle bot cold.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)34/389 : Might I onys haue a measse of wedows coyll.