Middle English Dictionary Entry
cō̆rs n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cō̆rs n. Also cor, corps, course, kose quorse & corpus. Pl. cors, corses, corpes, corps, koses. |
| Etymology | OF cors & L corpus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A dead body, corpse; ded ~; dedman ~; (b) ~ present, a customary gift to the clergy from the estate of a deceased parishioner, a mortuary.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)216/55 : Mirre..defendet þet Cors þet is mide i smered þet no werm nel comme i hende.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)51/170 : Heo..wolde a-fote gon To-ward þat holie cors.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3223 : He let þen stede halwy vor þe gode cors [B: bodiȝes; vr. corsses] þat þer were.
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)119/143 : He lete take alle cors [Suth: corses; Add: corpes] Boþe of man & of hors & cast in water of our wel Ous to apoisen.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)84/153 : Hyt was y-bore To þe beryynge Þat noble corps of ihesu cryst.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.41 : Þe bretherin..shullen ben at þen enteryng of þe dede corps.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3429 : I saugh today a corps yborn to chirche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2207 : That he mihte over Tibre go Upon the corps that dede were Of the Romeins, whiche he slowh there.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11504 : Mir..þat dedman cors wit smerld es.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.9 : No corps in her kirkeȝerde..was buryed.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.23.3 : He was rysun fro the office of the deed cors [WB(2): deed bodi; L funeris].
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)56 : For a cor present [L corpore præsenti].
- a1475 As Reson Rywlyde (Hrl 3954)39 : His cors-is graue I come nowe fro Þat sumtyme lay quyke on my lappe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)94 : Coors [vr. corse], dede body: Funus.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)73/4 : He command to bery þe dede corsez þat ware slayne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12289 : Þan Pirrus..Consumet the course vnto cleane askys.
- (1462) Doc.in HBS 2559 : They [deacons] schall haue the profetts off the bells wan thay ryng for any quorse or obett.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)666/15 : So was the corpus..buryed in a wood.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)214/151 : The coors take up ȝow thre betwen.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)657 : Thei..toke the erle bourell and other deed cors that lay thourgh the felde, and hem biried.
b
- (1393) Will York in Sur.Soc.4185 : I wyte for my corspresent the best garment that I for my body ordand.
- (a1447) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29app.242 : Ye said Priour complenys yat Alexander Hilton executour till is fadre withaldes corspresaund and other certeyn deutez.
- (a1447) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29243 : The saide Baron withholds ayeynst the lawe from the saide Priour the corps present of hys wyfe.
- (1449) Will York in Sur.Soc.30147 : I bequeth to the sam place whar my body shall rist for my cors presant a coursour.
2.
(a) The body of a living person; also, the body of an animal; (b) the body (as distinct from the soul); (c) eccl. the consecrated mass-wafer, the Host; (d) in oaths: bi Godes ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6078 : Kay..rode on him wiþ his hors & defoiled his cursed cors & had him slawe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.67 : Than shal we alle haue ynow to doone In liftynge vp his heuy dronken cors.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)550 : Of þir things..was adam cors [Trin-C: body] to-gedir graid.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.461 : To bowe doun his corps Whan that kyng Sapor sholde worþe upon his hors.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)272/41 : The coloure of my corse is full clere.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)334/430 : We ar combered his corpus for to cary.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)874 : I pray..Þat I may..me comford of thy coursse.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)50 : He [a boar] is heȝer þenne a horse, That vncvmly corse.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7405 : Next thy body, lat yt be set..next thy cors yiff thow yt were.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)56 : Her cors was ful comely of hue, hed & nekke.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.51 : Anoþer proud partriche..with hir corps keuereth hem [eggs] til þat þey kenne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)79/32 : A fayrer cors for to behald, Is not of bloode & bone.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.23 : Þe whiles I quykke þe corps [vr. body]..called am I anima.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)37/25 : Þat taire sauls suffir na dede, als te cors dose here.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)145 : To saue his soule, þus he [God] fesed his kose.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.197 : Þe corps þat haþ the soule oppressed.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest M.7 Boys (SeldSup 52)st.6 : Your sawles in your corsus he [God] cast.
- a1500 Add.Hymnal (Add 34193)470/83 : Whane owr sovlys schall bene discorparate, And be at large, sovle and corpus a twyne.
c
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)298/100 : His Masse he song. And whon he schulde þe Cors fong, he wende to take But on vbble; And..sauh..þre.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)53/23 : Thay broght with ham masbokes and Corpus domini and relykis many and Sworn vp-on ham al.
d
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3743 : By goddes corpus [vrr. corps, body] this gooth faire and wel.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3096 : By corpus bones I wol haue thy knyf.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1964 : The Kynge of Fraunce..bad mercy, for Goddes corps.
3.
(a) An individual, a person, (one's) person, (one's) self; mi cors, etc., myself, etc.; (b) in legal phrases: habeas corpus, a writ of habeas corpus; corpus cum causa, a writ transferring the person of a prisoner with the records in the case to a different court.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.304 : I pray to god so saue thy gentil cors And eek thyne vrinals.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3807 : He lete his pray and fleiȝ on hors, Forto saue his owen cors.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)683 : How myȝt I hyde myn hert fro Habraham þe trwe, Þat I ne dyscovered to his corse my counsayl so dere?
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20883 : He gadrede vnto his awn cors Of þe regne france alle þe fors.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)248/179 : Qwhat man som I kys, Þat corse schall ye kyll.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1865 : Syn he no knowlage, ne Acoyntaunse of my cors has, Ne I hardely herde of hym.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3246 : As myne owne corps [rime: hors] I woll cherissh hym.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)70 : Þer was kyd mekyl fors Who schuld best fend his cors.
b
- (?1450) Doc.Trade in BRS 792 : The retorne..the which is retorned in the Chauncerye..by vertiwe of a corpus cum causa at the suyte of youre seid besecher.
- (1465) Paston4.142 : Now ther ys com down a habeas corpus for hym.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.51a : The same Thomas Farnell, by force of a Writte of Corpus cum causa, direct to the Shiref of Yorkshire..was brought before the Kyng in his Benche..the same Thomas..wold pray..that the Chaunceller of Englond may send for the same Thomas by a Corpus cum causa.
- a1500(a1454) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)149 : We, consideryng that this mater longeth unto the court of conscience, desire..that ye will..grante unto our said servant a corpus cum causa in this partie.
4.
(a) The body (as distinct from head or limbs), trunk; (b) trunk of a vine; branch of a tree; (c) a body of citizens, band of knights; (d) the body of a soil, the substance; a body of law; the main part or amount.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5425 : Grete foxes..By þe membres and by þe cors Hij biten boþe man and hors.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)26.352 : A semly persone Of Membris & Cors.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5729 : A horse..passyng of cors and schapp.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)950 : Croun and cors he smot asonder.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1106 : He..hyt hym egurly on the corce [rime: force].
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.335 : The cors [of a vine] ydolue in grounde, The rootes wol abounde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.102 : Euery drie or roten cors [of the olive tree] remeue.
c
- (1429) RParl.4.346a : That hit be tried be enquest of the corps of the saide Shire.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.133 : My knightes..passe awaye..membres of my corps to kepe my region.
d
- c1400 Wycl.Let.Urban (Bod 647)504 : I suppose..þat þo gospel of Crist be hert of þo corps of Gods lawe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.85 : For vynys, lond to chese, eek most me yeme: In coors [L corporis] and in colour, solute and rare.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)316 : Eche of hem [canons] as ofte as he schal be þere at masse schal haue of þe king xij d. ouer þe cors of his prebend.
5.
(a) Silk (or other material) woven in strips, often richly ornamented with silver and gold; a length of such silk used as a ceinture or belt, a book mark, or for other purposes; (b) ~ wever, a weaver of such belts.
Associated quotations
a
- (1382) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.470 : [2 silver girdles, with red] corses [in silk]..[one silver girdle, with a blue] corse.
- (1402) Let.Zouche in RES 8 (PRO E 101/512/10)261 : ij ȝerd of þe brede þat ys marked here fore a cors of silk fore an horne.
- (1439) RParl.5.30b : A lyne made of silke or of threde of trewe mesure, in manere of streite cors.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)94 : Coors of sylke, or threde: Textum.
- (1454-56) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31243 : Paied for Clapses and Corses of the grete Boke, iiij s., iij d.
- (1456) Invent.Armory in Archaeol.16125 : ij yerds iij quarters of Corse of rede Sylke.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4933 : A long grene coors of silke harneysid with silvir.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.504b : That noo Knyght..were..eny manere Corses wrought with Gold..noo Squier..eny Corses wrought like to Velewet or to Sateyn fugery.
- (c1465) Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (Bod 6530)328 : A gyrdyl y harnyst with selver, party corse with xi barris, a parte ygylt.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45194 : j corse of rede welwit unharnast..j blake corse unharnast.
- a1500 Gloss.Garland (Hrl 1002)123 : Kosis ybarred [L texta stipata argento].
b
- (1415) Close R.Hen.V282 : Lyana Fader [of London] corswever.
- (1421) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.132 : Katerine Corsewever.
6.
Alch.?The substance of a metal, ?one of the seven bodies [see bodi 10b].
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2499 : Bot forto worche it sikirly, Betwen the corps and the spirit, Er that the metall be parfit, In sevene formes it is set.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20218 : Þe Saxons, so fals of fame..Treuȝ to me þam dedeignes to hald..I anenter strengh salle me afors Þis daie to venge me on þar cors.
Note: Needed for date.
Note: Belongs to sense 2.(a).--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. corpse.