Middle English Dictionary Entry
ā̆korn n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ā̆korn n. Also akkorn, ac(c)orn, oc(c)orn; ac(c)ern, hakern, acurn, akir, a(c)chern, atchern. Pl. ācorns, akkornes, ā̆cren(s, hākernes, ā̆cres, a(c)charns. |
| Etymology | OE æcern; pl. æceran, æcirnu; cp. Goth. akran fruit. ME āker(n represents OE æcern; ME akkern presumably comes from the trisyllabic OE pl. æceran; ME ākorn & akkorn are modified under the influence of korn kernel. ME acchern , atchern prob. come from a var. æčeran of the OE pl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An acorn; akorns of okes; cup of an akorn; (b) mast, such as acorns and nuts.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)45/29 : Feowur..litle æceran.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)689 : Nomina Fructuum dictarum Arborum..Glane, cenele, et pome de boys: Accorne, hawe, and crabbe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1811 : Hawes, hepus, & hakernes, & þe hasel-notes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.195 : And tauȝte erye and sowe and ete acharns.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.345 : To forehonde þey lyued by acres [L glandibus].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)243b/a : The fruyt of quercus hatte accherne and groweþ among þe leues..Acchernes beþ colde and druye and..vnobedient to digestioun.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)267/35 : Take þe cuppe of an acurne [L cupulam glandis] & þat is lyke to þe point of a wommans tete.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)31a/a : Glandiosus: ful of acchernis..Glans: an accharne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.3.28 : To eten akkornes of ookes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187a/b : Glandes, akorns, is a fruyte colde wiþ temperaunce and drye in þe secounde degree and sowdynge.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)420/275 : [He] eet acornys to sustene his nature, Kernellis off notis, whan he myhte hem recure.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)6 : Accorne, or archarde, frute of the oke: Glans.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)361 : Ocorn, or acorn, frute of an oke: Glans.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)73 : Asshe, firre, and oke with mony a yonge acorne [rime: hawthorne].
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)3 : To gedder Accorns: glandere.
b
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)319 : & gras & rotes gadred bliue, Frout & acren to her mete.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)80 : Þe boores fedyng is propirly iclepid akire of okis baryng.
2.
A representation of acorns as a decorative device; -- pl.
Associated quotations
- (c1388) PParv.6 fn. : Countrefait de Atchernes.
- (1392) Will York in Sur.Soc.4177 : Coclearia..cum acrinsse de auro.
- (1420) EEWills45/13 : A dosyn off siluer sponys with acharnus ouerguld.
- (1450) Will York in Sur.Soc.30175 : A covered pece with a gilted knop of acorns leves.
- (1459) Will York in Sur.Soc.30235 : Lego dos. cocliarium cum akehornes.
- (c1475) Exped.Edw.IV (Arms 2M.16)3R : Sir John Arundell..an Akkorn.