Middle English Dictionary Entry
cō̆rde n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cō̆rde n. Also coord(e. |
| Etymology | OF corde |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A rope, line, cord, or string, esp. one made of several twisted strands; contextually: a bow string, a hangman's rope, a nautical line, a plumb line, a length of binding twine, etc.; (b) cord [of a specified kind]; cordage.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.And.(Hrl 2277)68 : Siþþe bynde him honde and fet to þe Rode faste Wiþ stronge corden.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)176 : A strong rop..of horse-here.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1141 : Þei ȝe me hong bi a cord, He no leiȝeþ neuer a word!
- (1336) Doc.in Nicolas Navy 2471 : Cords of russhewale.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.7.16 : I haue araȝid with cordis [L funibus] my litil bed.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 27.32 : Thanne knyȝtis kittiden awey the cordis of the litil boot.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2431 : A tente of cloth with corde and stake He sette up ferst.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3592 : He tok a Corde, With which upon the gate tre He hyng himself.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2247 : Wit cord and plum þai wroght sa hei.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21256 : Abute his hals a cord þai fest, And tilward prison drogh his fell.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.76 : A cart þat bryngeþ newe sadeles to carye..corden oþer tray[ces] [F cordes v trez].
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)74/12 : A þrefolde corde ful looþ is brostun.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2391 : He bare a scowrge with cordes ten.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Josh.2.15 : She..lafte hem [WB(2): let hem doun] bi a coord [L per funem] out of a wyndowe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)96b/a : A silke corde of 3 or 4..thredez.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)97/21 : He hase aboute his nekke a corde of silke, on whilke er ccc precious stanes.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2485 : She was hire owene deth ryght with a corde.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)187 : Every trusse or pakke of cloth..boundyn with cordys.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1517 : The cordis þat þay [the riddels] on rane..Maydyn Edoyne þam spane Of mery-maydyns hare.
- (1447) RParl.5.135a : All the Cables, Ancres, Cordes, Ropes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2978 : Þeir schipes alle in peril were..Cordes, kables, casteles tofrusched.
- a1450(?a1350) Cust.Godalming in SAC 22133 : A powker of hey bownden in a Corde.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)204 : J maade him sette a bowe with oute corde in the heuene.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : Cords y bought for the canape and the lampe.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)910 : Ellis mot i hangyt be With a hempyn corde!
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)104/33 : Crist..dryve oute with a scourge made of cordes biers and sellers.
b
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57545 : The same day paid fore corde to trusse wyth pakkes.
- (c1470) Stonor Suppl.9 : For maylyns cord, ij d. ob.
1b.
Fig. Something that constrains or restrains; bounden with ~; ~ of sinnes; drauen bi on ~, to pull together; etc.
Associated quotations
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.8 : The feend..that with his thousand cordes slye Continuelly vs wayteth to biclappe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 36.8 : If thei shul ben in cheynes, and ben bounde with cordis [WB(2): roopis] of porenesse [WB(2): of pouert].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.5.22 : With the cordis [WB(2): roopis] of his synnes he is togidere streyned.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)45/24 : We must..drawe þis nett in watir of wisdam bi vertuouse lyuyng to þe hauen of helþe wiþ cordis þat ben of verry mekenesse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2344 : What meschef lyth in variaunce Amonge lordis, whan þei nat accorde For to drawe fully by o corde.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)23/23 : Þe þrefolde corde þat soche an olde man is bonde with is harde for to breke. þis corde is costome, þat is of þre pleytys, of ydul þout, vnoneste speche, and wyckyd dede.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)109 : This [desperation] is the hangemannes corde of helle.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)15/2 : Loke ye holde nat the cordes to noye the people and seke nat their hurtis by cautelis.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)30 : Habundaunce of riches, flateryng and fairnes of wymmen, fairnes of youth, This is the threfold corde the whiche is hard to breke.
1c.
Associated quotations
- (1199) in Fransson Surn.86 : Augustinus Cordemaker.
- a1275 Legal Gloss.Rothley127 : Cordhalpeny. Hoc est quietus de quadam consuetudine exacta pro tabulis [read: cabulis] levatis.
- (c1467) in G.Otto Handwerkernamen77 : Cordemakere.
2.
?Specif. (a) A form of torture using a cord; (b) a scourge of cords; (c) a cord used for bending a bow; fals ~; (d) the cord worn round the outer garment of a Franciscan friar or nun.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1746 : It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.128 : [Christ] mysseide þe iewes manliche..And knokked on hem with a corde [C: rop].
c
- (1339) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.205 : [One springald, with two] strenges, [and one] faussecord [for the same].
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)100a : Arblastes..ne mowe not be I-bend to be schot wiþ-oute cordes & strynges I-made of zenewes & here.
d
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)84/14 : Whan þey schul so go oute of þe Cloyster, þey schul be hosid & schod, beringe none cordis, & þey schulle nat go alone..þes sustris, after þey been professid, þey schul use bifore gerdellis cordes, whiche shal be made wiþ coriouste.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)66 : They shall graunt to them the clothyng of probation, that ys to say, ij cootis withoute a hode, a corde, a femoralle, a schapelet downe to the girdle.
3.
Anat. (a) A tendon or a tendon with an adjoining nerve; (b) the connective tissue of which tendons are composed; (c) a nerve; (d) the ~ of the arm, the radial vein.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)29/18 : Þat þat is maad of þis nerf & þis ligament is clepid a corde, þe which þat meueþ þe lymes to þe wille of þe soule.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)158/13 : In þis maner ben maad nakid cordis and generacioun of brawnys, til euery lyme haue his meuynge.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)9a/b : Þe neruous cordes þer be naked & apperyng fro þe flesh.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)9b/a : Cordes..bene..of the nature of neruez & more þan ligamentz, For..þai spring of musculez & of neruez; þay resceyue feling & mouyng bi which membrez be moued.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)11a/b : After þat a muscle is made..rownde cordes and ligamentes goþ downe, and when þai come nygh ioyntes þay beeth made large and þay bynde þe ioynture al aboute wiþ a clooþ couerynge þe bones.
b
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)40/14 : Þese þre consimile membris, þat is [to] seie senewe [L nervus], corde, & brawn.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)24/17 : From þe brayn comen vij peire cordes, & þei ben clepid sensible senewis.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)123 : Ȝef a man be prikked in to a senewe, þat is a corde, take good oyle roset [etc.].
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/a : It is said þe ende or þe corde of þe arme [L funis brachii], þe toþer braunche..is called cephalica.
4.
A string of a musical instrument.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)150.4 : Herieþ hym in cordes [L chordis] and organ.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4771 : Wurschepe God..yn cordys, an organes, sautre, and bellys ryngyng.
- a1400(c1340) Rolle Psalter (Hat 12)5/43 : Þis boke es called þe psauter, þe whilke name it has of a instrument of musyke..it es of tenne cordes and gyves þe soune fra þe overer thurgh touchinge of hende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4141 : To heren þe heuenly armonye Be musik touchid vp-on string & corde.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.443 : Ther is non instrument..thorugh wynd or touche of corde.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)696 : Mo love-dayes and acordes Then on instrumentes be cordes.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.355 : A tympan stryngede and armede with cordes off brasse [L aereis chordis].
5.
A share or portion (of an inheritance); -- a literal translation of L funiculus.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)77.60 : In lott he parted to hem þe londe in a corde of distribucioun.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)104.10 : Y shal ȝeue þe þe londe of Chanaan in a corde of [ȝ]our herytage.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.138.3 : My path and my litle corde thou enserchedist.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.47.13 : Ȝe shuln weelde the lond in twelue kynredis of Yrael; for Joseph hath double coord or part [WB(2): double part; L duplicem funiculum].
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.32.9 : The litil corde [WB(2): litil part] of his herytage.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cord.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 3.(d)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cord of the arm.