Middle English Dictionary Entry
cōl n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | cōl n.(2) Also cole, coll(e, coil. Pl. cōles, (early) cōlen. |
| Etymology | OE col, pl. colu (corresp. to OHG & OI kol). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Charcoal, or a piece of it; wode and col(es; prob. also, fuel; -- sg. or pl.; (b) mineral coal [some late quots. in (a) may belong here].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2366 : & hehte hine..makian an eorð-hus..& dude þer inne muchel col & claðes inowe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17701 : Iblæcched he hæfede his licame swulc ismitte of cole.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)197/124 : And barnde þe hard roche of ston ase þei it Col were.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)428/275 : Ase wode and col fedez þat fuyr.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)375 : Þat fuyr was imaud of col and grece.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2520 : Choliers þat cayreden col come þere bi-side.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.809 : Oure fourneys eek of calcinacioun..And dyuers fyres maad of wode and cole.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1160 : Out of his bosom took a bechen cole.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132a/a : Phylozophris settiþ þre maner kynde of fire, ffor fyr is liȝt, and fire is cole, and fire is in his owne spere.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132b/a-b : Cole is fyre incorporat in dede & fyre I oned to erþy matiere, as gregory seyþ..as fyre in leye meveþ vpward, so in cole it falliþ and meuyth donward by heuynesse of matiere..in col substancial moysture is al I wastid, and þerfore it is sone I broke..By his blakenesse cole defouliþ..alle þing þt he touchiþ..by his scharpnesse cool sowdiþ Iren and resoluyth and slakeþ þe parties þerof and makeþ it neissche..cole I rake in askes holdiþ & kepiþ fire..fir cole brenneþ & greueþ soles of feet þat trediþ þeron.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310b/b : Atramentum..is y made of sote in many maner wise..and some powneþ coles of olde woode wiþ glew.
- (1419) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)98 : John Vmbergh..Colier..in disceyt of þe comune peple, haþ sold coles þis same yeer [etc.].
- (1424) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.180 : For j quarter of Coles bought at Baynardescastell, viij d.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)145b/b : Be the circuite of þe testicule ymerked wiþ ynke or wiþ a cole.
- (1432) EEWills91/11 : I be-quethe..my wode and my Cole.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1399 : In monee assigned for Coles for the forge.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)166 : Write sum..carect with cole or chalk in the wal.
- a1450(?a1390) Mirk Fest.Suppl.(Cld A.2)292/5 : A man þat made charkolus in a park..whan he hadde makud a grete fyre of colus [etc.].
- (1462) Will York in Sur.Soc.30261 : All ye wodd, colles, turves yt langs to ye place.
- (1463) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)41 : The ordenauncys..concernyng the kepyng of the saide Gaole of Neugate and sillyng of vitaille..Woode, Cooles, Candell..to the saide prysoners.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.276 : As drye coolis be soone afire, So is a wrathfull man.
- a1500 Rule Serve Ld.(Add 37969)11/11 : Þe seyd grome..shall bryng into þe hall as moche wode and colis as shall be spent dayle..and bere oute þe ashes.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.399 : Valeys bryngeþ forþ food..Col groweþ vnder lond [in Wales].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10732 : Mynurs..make yn hyllys holes, As yn þe west cuntre men seke coles.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2317 : Charcole & cole, and al that necessary Is forto make armure and arowys fyne.
2.
(a) Burning or partly consumed fuel; live coal(s, embers; brenning (hot, quik, red) ~, etc.; (b) cinders, ashes; cold (ded) ~; brennen to ~; (c) fig. a firebrand (to kindle passion); blouen at the ~, fan the embers of passion.
Associated quotations
a
- c1150 Wenne Wenne (Roy 4.A.14)8 : [Charm against wens:] clinge þu alswa col on heorþe..litel þu gewurþe þet þu nawiht gewurþe!
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)344/164 : Nim ȝeme þat þine fuyrie coles wel muche a-kelez me.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2653 : He bad ðis child brennen to [read: brennend two] colen.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)205/25 : A quic col berninde ope ane hyeape of dyade coles.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3323 : In hote coles he hath hym seluen raked, For with no venym deigned hym to dye.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.259 : Brennyng coolis.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)276 : As ȝif þou hedde a luite Cole and þou wolde make a fir þer-wiþ.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.551 : Whan men maken fyr of thilke tree and couere the coles of it with asshen.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1152 : The coles for to couchen al aboue The crosselet.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.142 : To sitten at euen by þe hote coles.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)123/21 : Or walke on brenning coolis, & not brenne þe soolis of his feet?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5723 : Þouȝ it be leide amonge þe colis rede.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5912 : And gan to kyndle þe coles briȝt & clere.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.54.16 : Blowynge coolis in fier.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)67/23 : Coles & cyndres.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31b/b : Þe rootes of henbane..soden vnder þe coles.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)98/29 : Lufe..is qwykkar þen a byrnynge coyll.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)2 : Foules were y-seyn..beryng coles in her bylles, that weren cause off brennynge off many houses.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)86 : Cole of fyre brynnynge: Pruna.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)87 : Cole qwenchyd: Carbo.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)17 : Sette þe vesselle on a fewe colys.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2850 : Oure goode hors we slowe..And on þe coles we gan it brede.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)234 : Now colde as ise, now as coles rede.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)309/11 : [She] putt a grete colle in his mouthe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)214 : Set þe pot on þe coles.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)31/10 : Make a slawe fyir þere-vndyr of coolys.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)34/2 : Take flyntys..and heete heem well amonge þe colys in þe fyir.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)56a : Busy the not to faste at the cole..to blow.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)27 : Ane berninde glede þet hine al for-bernað þurut to cole.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)12/113 : Þet fur ham forbearneð al to colen calde.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)454/195 : His cloþes fur-barnden al-to cole.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)126/25 : Be-tuene dyad col and quyk.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4367 : To cold coles sche schal be brent.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)11862 : Heroude..sleeþ his leches deed as cole.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)69a : Take þe stalkys of þe erbe and bren ham and make þere of colis..and rubbe þi teþe.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.167 : He þat waloweth amonge coole or piche, Ofte tymes it woll shewe suche.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)146/24 : A fyre..brent hom all to cold colys and askes.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)218/1 : The two deuels were brenned..in-to poudre and coles.
c
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2292 : [Lechery says:] I make a fer in mans towte..þese cursyd colys I bere abowte, Mankynde in tene for to teye.
- ?a1500 Burgeys thou (Hrl 7578)1 : Burgeys, thou haste so blowen atte the Cole That alle thy rode is from thine face agoon.
3.
Phrases: (a) blak (swart) as ~, black (dark) as coal or soot; (b) in Bibl. texts and references: casten (hepen) coles upon his hed, etc., .
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)590 : Þar he tok his gode fole, Also blak so eny cole.
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1664 : Iesu bigon gret pine to þole, He waxe blaker þan oni cole.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)7158 : His bodi is swarter þan ani cole.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22489 : Þe sterns..sal haf tint þair light And worth al black sum ani cole.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)456 : Þe raven..colored as þe cole.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1399 : Þe blak cole Of synne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)606 : With grete glesenand eȝen..blak as a cole.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)796 : Vpon a colt..As blak as cole, A yong man com ryde.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)5/136 : Now ar we waxen blak as any coyll, and vgly, tatyrd as a foyll.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1952 : For feere I lookyd as blak as a coole: I wold haue cropyn in a mouse hoole.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.25.23 : If he thristith, ȝif hym watir to drinke; forsothe, colis [L prunas] thou shalt gadere togidere vp on the hed of hym; and the Lord shal ȝelde to thee.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.144 : Cast coles on his hed..and with wordes fonde his loue to wynne.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Rom.12.20 : For doynge þese þinges þou schalt gedere to-geder coles of fuyr up-on his hed..in goode ofercome þou efel.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.12.20 : Þou schalt hepe þe colys of fyre, þat is to seye þe hete of charite, vp on his hed.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)17.14 : Coles of fire, that is werkis of charite.
4.
Cpds. (a) col-blak, jet-black; (b) cole-bedes, jet beads; col-binne, coalbin; ~ celer, -cellar; ~ fir, charcoal fire, charcoal burner's fire; ~ hepe, a heap of live coals; ~ hors; ~ hous; ~ maker, ~ man, one who makes and/or sells charcoal; ~ metere, an official who weighs coal; ~ mine; ~ pik, a tool; ~ pit, q.v.; ~ rake, a rake for cinders; ~ shovel; ~ staþe, -staithe, -wharf; (c) as surnames: cole-brond, firebrand; ~ graver, -digger; ~ grime, -grime; ~ hod; ~ man; ~ makere; ~ pot; ~ whit.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)75 : Þin eȝene boþ colblake.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2142 : In stede of cotearmure..He hadde a beres skyn, colblak for old.
b
- (1281) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.53 : Le Colceler.
- (1336) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)1.410 : Geoffrey Swele, colmetere.
- (1354) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.xxxvi : Camera:..Item ij colpikkes.
- (1362) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29159 : In bracina..j colrake de ferro bonum.
- (1385) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103594 : In 4 panell' empt. pro le Coilhors, 3 s.
- (1404) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100397 : In custodia Plumbarii..l collrak.
- (1405) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.124/1 : Colehous..wodehous.
- (1406) Wardrobe Acc.Philippa in Archaeol.67182 : j colshovell de ferro.
- (1411) in Rec.B.Nottingham 286 : Pari de colebedes, iiij d.
- (1415) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29192 : iij s..de firma de le colestaye vocata Thrylstanhugh.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.155 : For makynge of an Colbynne yn þe Chamber.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)88 : Coole rake [vr. colrake]: Restellum, batillum.
- (1449) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99276 : Pro punctuatione de le Colehouse Infirmarie.
- a1450(?a1390) Mirk Fest.Suppl.(Cld A.2)292/13 : And eure þis coleman seygh þat nythe be nythe.
- (1463) Dower Pekham in Archaeol.74 (Gldh Hustings Roll 196(10))156 : The grete Garet or colehouse sett ouir the grete gate towards Thamystrete.
- (1464) RParl.5.567b : Woodemongers and Colemakers.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)108/29 : Be-ware of this worlde and thinke that it is a cole hepe, vppon the whiche whenne ye shulde [steppe], it failethe yow.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)153 : Thanne make a fayr coole fier.
- (1475) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.639 : Henry Gillowe, parson of Hoghton, hath takyn accion of me..for tyende cole of our coal minez at Fynchall.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)105/16 : Ther was a man þat made charcolys yn a gret lordys parke..a lytull befor mydnyght þer come a woman..a knyght..hunted her all about þe cole-fure.
c
- (1254) R.Knight's Fees in Archaeol.Cant.12212 : Johannes Colebraund.
- (1290) Close R.Edw.I155 : Robert Colegryme.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 108 : Reg. Colebrond.
- 1300 Inquis.PM Edw.I in BRS 37 [OD col.]266 : Laurence Coleman.
- (1305) Pat.R.Edw.I349 : Roger Colhod.
- (1310) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 1814 : Cristiana Colepot.
- (1313) Sub.R.Glo.(1) in BGAS 19251 : Rogerus le Colymakyere.
- (1317) Pat.R.Edw.II86 : William Colewhit.
- ?c1382 Survey Hatfield in Sur.Soc.3297 : Will. Colegraver.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.105vb (3.16) : Somtym þai gnawen chalke, somtym coles and swyche oþer maner þinges..be cause..sche hath conceyuede.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 1.(a).
- a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 119/14 : Put it in an erþyn pot..and þenne sette it vp a litel cole of feer.
Note: Quot. needed for date in sense 2.(a).
Note: New phrase: ~ of fir, an ember.
- a1500 Diseases Women(3) (Yale-M 47)47/357 : Take a fat ele and ley it al quyk on þe soles [read: coles; DW(2): koles] and let þe woman stonde þer ouer þat þe smoke com yn to hire priuy membre or yn to a mannys fundament if þat he hafe þe flux.
Note: New forms: Pl. koles, (error) soles.
Note: Needed for date in sense 2.(a).
Note: The editor seems to have misread the 'c' in 'coles' in the manuscript (which is blacked in and looks more like a Greek lowercase sigma) for a lowercase 's'.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.10vb (1.3) : 'Carbunculus' is a sore þat..when it is rype..is blak as a quenchede cole.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 2.(a).
- ?a1525 Dc.54 Artist.Recipes (Dc 54) 269/1 : [T]ake collys of..kotyng of wynys throw brande, and grynd the smale apon a stone, and temper them with fayre watyr.
Note: Quot. postdates sense 2.(b).
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)84/219 : Take vertgresse, arnement, brymstone, and brandekele [?read: brandekole] and meng to gedir and make powdir..and then strew the powdir on the cankyr and..do the powdir ther on til..the cankyr be dede.
Note: New forms: Also..-kole, -kele.
Note: New combination for sense 2.(b), (no gloss required): brand ~.
Note: The combination brand ~ may actually be brent ~ (p.ppl. of brennen v.).
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)598 : Panter is..blac so bro of qual mið wite spottes sawen al.
Note: New form: Also..(early) qual.
Note: New phrase for sense 2.(b): "brand of ~, ?combusted coal residue; ?charcoal.
- c1450 Diseases Horse (Yale 163)26 : A Colle blak hors is parliouse: A cole blak hors is parliouse þt berith no white marke, for and he continue longe with a man he wille droune hym or sle hym or do vn-to hym~ sum mysshief.
Note: Quot. postdates sense 4.(a).
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)620 : Inquyre to þe colkote, for ther ys hys loggyng, A lytyll besyde Babwell Myll.
Note: New combination for sense 4.(b): "~ cote, a coal or charcoal shed."
Note: Editor's glossary: 'colkote = (char)coal shed.'
- (1445) MSS Beverley in HMC130 : iij pikkis et j veterem pik fractum, j rastrum cum viij dentibus ferri, j gavelote ferri, et iij schovyls, j beryngbarow, ij trowys ligata, j colrake ferri, ij whelebarows, et j veterem schovyl.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 4.(b).
- a1200 Reginald Bk.St.Cuth.(Dur-C Hunter 42)24 : Carcer enim ab obscuritate tenebrosâ et palpabili Cole dicebatur, quia nichil inibi nisi turpitudinis et nigerrimi horroris relinquebatur.
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: "As name of a prison cell."
Note: See summary p. 295: "Malcolm, King of Scotland, imprisons a man in Berwick Castle in a cell called Cole (Coal) from its filth and horrid darkness."
- (1482) EPNSoc.29 (Der.)740 : Cowley.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)175a/b : Medicyne caustice..bristeþ & brynneþ þe skyn & þe flesh..And it..indureþ, i. hardneþ, & bryngeþ into a cole wiþout grete ake.
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: "Med. a lump of darkened scarified tissue."