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1. an- pref.(3)

1 quotation in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) In words inherited from OE: an-biden, an-elen kindle; (b) in words not attested in OE with this prefix, but occurring in early ME up to c1225: an-belȝen, an-bursten; also an-ēlen kindle, an-hongen……

2. arblast, -blastē̆r n.

Additional spellings: arblaster
35 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A weapon for discharging quarrels, stones, etc., consisting of a bow set crosswise on a shaft; a crossbow, an arbalest; (b) a missile shot from a crossbow; arblast shute. …

3. āver n.(1)

43 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
A draft horse; ?also, any beast of burden or draft animal. …

4. ?bin-heie n.

Additional spellings: binheie
1 quotation in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
An enclosure, pen. …

5. calketrappe n.

19 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
Mil. A device with sharp iron spikes set on the ground to cripple the feet of an advancing enemy; similar device used against trespassers, etc.; fig. a spiritual trap or pitfall. …

6. capitle n.

18 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A short division of a book, a chapter; one of the twenty-two sections of Ps. 118 (119); (b) a short passage (usually Biblical or patristic) read in divine worship, a lesson; (c) ?an epitome. …

7. castē̆l n.

156 quotations in 7 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A castle; also, a fortress similar to a medieval castle; (b) a fortified place, a stronghold. …

8. cherī n.

63 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A cherry; cheri fruit; red as cheri; (b) a cherry tree; (c) ?a cherry blossom. …

9. chīne n.(2)

29 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) The spinal column, backbone, chine; chine of the bakke; nekke of the chine, cervical spine; joint of the chine, vertebra; (b) chine bon, backbone, spine; (c) a vertebra. …

10. Cornwaile n.

6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Cornwall. …

11. Corn-walish adj.

Additional spellings: Cornwalish
8 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Cornish; the Corn-walish bor, the Cornish boar [said of King Arthur]; as noun: Cornishman. …

12. cros n.

251 quotations in 12 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A cross for crucifixion, a gibbet; (b) the cross of Christ; holi cros; Exaltacioun of the cros, a feast, Sept. 14; feste of the holi cros, feast of the Invention of the Cross, May 3; (c) winnen……

13. crūet n.

21 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A small vessel for sacramental wine, holy water, or chrism; (b) a jug, bottle, or bowl (as for water); (c) fig. …

14. English n. (orig. adj.)

78 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) The people of England, Englishmen;--pl.; (b) an Englishman; (c) the Anglian inhabitants (of Northern and Central England), the Angles (as distinguished from the Saxons). …

15. English adj.

48 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
Pertaining or belonging to England or the English people; originating in England; ?also, of Anglo-Saxon stock (as distinct from Norman French) [quot.: (1155)]. …

16. fēver-fū, -feu n.

Additional spellings: feverfu, fever-feu, feverfeu
5 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium). …

17. flẹ̄te n.

50 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A group of ships; esp. a fleet of warships, a navy; ?a naval expedition; (b) a troop of armed men, an army; (c) ?a set (of fishing nets). …

18. forbrūsed ppl.

6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) Of the body or parts of the body: severely bruised, battered, crushed; (b) of armor: broken to pieces, shattered. …

19. frank-pleǧǧe n.

Additional spellings: frankplegge
11 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
One of the mutually responsible members of a tithing, etc. …

20. frēten v.(1)

138 quotations in 6 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To devour (something), to eat up; (b) to eat (something); esp., to eat hungrily or greedily; freten fil, to eat (one's) fill; freten of, to partake of, eat of; freten up, to eat up, devour; (c) to……

21. heriet n.

12 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A payment made, by the heir(s to the lord of the manor, upon the death of a tenant; (b) the right to collect this payment. …

22. -ish suf.

1 quotation in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A derivational suffix in nouns designating nations, races, or languages, and in adjectives describing them; from OE: Brittish, English, Denish (var. of Danish), Frensh, Grekish, Romanish, Welsh……

23. last n.(2)

41 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The load of a ship, cargo; (b) a measure for hides, 200 hides; (c) a measure for wool; prob. 20 sacks; (d) a measure for herrings and other fish, bacon, beer, wine, small cut or shaped stones……

24. mǒunt n.(1)

65 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A mountain or hill; also fig.; pl. mountains, mountainous region; mountain range; mount joie, mount of joy, highest bliss; bi mount(es, among the mountains; (b) the Alps; -- pl. & coll.; (c) in……

25. nept(e n.

Additional spellings: nepte
23 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) Catnip, catmint (Nepeta cataria), often used in cooking or in medecines; nept roial; (b) ?one of various plants (including Teucrium chamædrys, Arum colocasia, and Asarum europeæum). …

26. ọ̄r(e n.(3)

Additional spellings: ore
41 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Metallic ore; metal; ?also, ore of any kind; metal or; (b) a vein or deposit of ore; (c) or of bras, copper ore; or gold (led, silver); gold (silver) or; (d) or ston, iron ore. …

27. ǒutlau(e n.

Additional spellings: outlaue
49 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) One decreed an outlaw; a fugitive from justice; an exile, banished person [occasionally indistinguishable from sense (b)]; (b) a miscreant, villain; pirate, robber; fig. extortioner; (c) as……

28. ǒutlauen v.

42 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) To pronounce (sb.) an outlaw; banish (sb.), exile; (b) to ostracize (sb.); exclude (sb. from an assembly); also fig. banish (sb. from heaven or paradise); (c) to banish (charity, reason, Holy……

29. ǒutlauerī(e n.

Additional spellings: outlauerie
28 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A judgment or declaration of outlawry against somebody; an exiling, a banishment; at the outlaueri, about to be declared an outlaw; with outlaueri, under sentence of banishment; (b) the condition……

30. perselī n.

57 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) One of several plants belonging to the parsley family; esp. the common or garden parsley (Petroselinum crispum); (b) wilde perseli, one of several uncultivated plants allied to common parsley……

31. pich(e n.(1)

Additional spellings: piche
155 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Wood tar; also, the residue of the distillation of wood tar; (b) blak pich, cedar gum; also, = pich navale; hard pich, solidified wood tar; pich liquide, fleting pich, neshe pich, pich molten……

32. plight n.

113 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Danger, harm, trouble; ben plight, to be dangerous; holden to plight, keep (sb.) in danger; in plight to dien (fallen, perishen), in danger of dying, etc.; (b) strife; a battle; (c) a sin, crime……

33. potter(e n.

Additional spellings: pottere
51 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A maker of various kinds of vessels, esp. earthenware vessels; a potter; also fig.; erthe potter, a maker of earthenware vessels; (b) a maker of metal pots, vessels, or other objects of metal; (c)……

34. purprin adj.

4 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Of purple color; purprin heu, purplish hue. …

35. purpur(e n.

Additional spellings: purpure
65 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A cloth, often of silk, dyed with Tyrian purple or a similar dye; purple fabric, esp. associated with royalty; (b) a garment made from purple cloth; raiment of royal purple; also fig.; usen purpur……

36. riveling n.

6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A rawhide shoe or boot; (b) as a derogatory nickname for a Scot. …

37. rushen v.

44 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To move quickly, move violently, rush; charge, dash; of wind: blow violently; of water, blood: flow rapidly, stream; rushen forth, charge; also, hurry on one's way; rushen up, leap up; (b) to dash……

38. satureie n.

7 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Savory Satureia hortensis. …

39. Saxon n.

44 quotations in 5 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A member of the Germanic tribe that invaded, conquered, and settled in England, a Saxon; (b) est (south) saxones, people from the kingdom of the East (South) Saxons; west Saxon, q.v. …

40. scauāǧe n.

6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A custom levied on goods displayed for sale within the precincts of London. …

41. scorpiǒun n.

69 quotations in 5 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A member of the order Scorpionida; a scorpion or a creature thought to be one; (b) a figure of a scorpion; (c) a snake similar to a scorpion; (d) a scorpion's sting. …

42. sester n.

19 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A vessel for holding liquid; ?a brewing vat [2nd quot.]; (b) a liquid measure; sester ful; (c) a dry measure; (d) sester peni, an annual tax imposed upon commercial brewers of beer. …

43. shā̆mel n.

41 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A footstool; also fig.; also, the raised section of the floor on which the altar stands, a footpace [2nd quot.]; shamel of fet, fot shamel [OE fōt-sceamol]; bok shamel, a bookstand; (b) a bench……

44. shel(le n.

Additional spellings: shelle
105 quotations in 8 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) In general, the protective calcareous or chitinous outer covering of an invertebrate, a shell; (b) the shell of a mollusk, crustacean, or an echinoderm; also fig.; also in proverb; (c) shel fish [……

45. sheltrǒun n.

46 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A group of soldiers or an army in fighting formation; a tight battle formation or phalanx; right-half sheltroun, the right wing of an army; (b) fig. of (a); (c) fighting, a battle; (d) a group of……

46. shok n.

14 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
A group of sheaves of grain placed on end and leaning against one another in order to dry, a shock, stook; (b) fig. …

47. shop(pe n.

Additional spellings: shoppe
67 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A room or building used as a place of business by a victualer, craftsman, etc.; also fig.; boueres (corveiseres, etc.) shop; open shop, a shop open to the public; also fig.; spice shop; (b) shop……

48. skep(pe n.

Additional spellings: skeppe
28 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A basket for grain, malt, coal, alms, etc.; skep of twig; skep makere; bering skep; (b) a dry measure varying in size, a skepful; (c) skep scales, ?basket-shaped balance pans; (d) in surnames. …

49. skipper(e n.(1)

Additional spellings: skippere
8 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The captain or master of a ship; (b) as surname [some quots. may belong to skipper(e n.(2)(c)]. …

50. smaragd(e n.

Additional spellings: smaragde
13 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A precious stone, green in color, esp. an emerald; also, emerald; smaragd ston. …

51. sō̆ke-man n.

Additional spellings: sokeman
9 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A tenant who holds his land in socage [quot. 1230 may belong to sense (b)]; soke-man mot, a court attended by such tenants; (b) as surname. …

52. somnen v.

105 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To urge (sb. to do sth.), invite, call upon; order (sb. to do sth.); -- also with that clause; ben somned, be called upon (to do sth.), be obliged; ben somned to, be invited to (a feast); (b) ?to……

53. sot n.(1)

45 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A fool, simpleton; a madman; also, an innocent [quot. a1500]; sottes iferen, fellow fools; siti sot, q.v.; (b) a wretch, rascal, villain; (c) as a term of abuse; (d) in proverbs; (e) ?as surname. …

54. sǒun n.

146 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Sound; a sound; soun of ere, sound; ?also, hearing [quot. ?a1425 Orch.Syon]; (b) noise, loud noise; din, clamor; also, a noise, loud noise [sometimes difficult to distinguish (b) from (a)]……

55. sǒundre n.

10 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A herd of wild swine; soundre of (wild) swine, soundre of hogges; soundre of stares, a flock of starlings. …

56. sponǧe n.

41 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A piece of the elastic, absorbent, and porous spongin skeleton of various species of Porifera, a sponge; (b) the sponge as an instrument of the Passion, the sponge soaked with vinegar and gall……

57. stai n.(1)

15 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Naut. A large rope used to secure the mast of a ship; stai nail, a nail used to secure a stay; stai of thre cordes, a tripartite rope; stai pin, a kind of belaying pin; bak stai [see also bak n. 10.(f……

58. stal(le n.

Additional spellings: stalle
145 quotations in 10 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) An enclosed or partially enclosed place for keeping a domesticated animal, a stall; a stable; also in fig. context [quot.: ?a1425]; also in proverbs and prov. expressions; asse (oxe) stal; (b) a……

59. sterling n.

37 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The English silver penny; -- also coll.; also, the value of such a coin [quot. 1469, 2nd occurrence]; lushe-burgh sterling, a light coin imported from Luxembourg and used to counterfeit the……

60. stik(e n.(1)

Additional spellings: stike
8 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A measure of quantity for eels, usu. 25; stik ele, ?eels of small size. …

61. stōle n.

40 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A long garment; a robe; -- also coll. [quot. a1398]; stoles of bataille, war garments, armor; first stole, the best robe; (b) fig. and in fig. contexts; (c) the robe of a Jewish priest or high……

62. strẹ̄pen v.

61 quotations in 5 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To remove the clothes of (sb.); strepen naked (stert-naked, to flesh and bon), strip (sb.) naked; strepen (naked) oute of, strip (sb.) of (his or her clothes); strepen of, strip (a corpse) of……

63. sturǧeǒun n.

45 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) The sturgeon (Acipenser sturio); -- also coll.; ?also, another fish or aquatic animal [quot. ?c1475]; (b) cook. a sturgeon used as food; maken a sturgeoun, to prepare a sturgeon for the table; (c)……

64. subdēken n.

16 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Eccl. (a) A member of the lowest clerical order, ranking immediately below the diaconate, a subdeacon; (b) the set of vestments worn by a subdeacon; (c) = soudeken n. (b). …

65. sw- consonant clust.

1 quotation in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
For all words beginning with sw- from here to the end of this volume [of the print MED], the practice of the MED is to record all variant forms except those beginning with su-; forms with su- are……

66. thrum n.(2)

13 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) An unwoven thread or piece of yarn from the warp of a loom which remains attached to the loom when the web is cut off; also, a short piece of waste thread or yarn; a strand of yarn or bundled……

67. tilating n.

8 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The boards used to deck a section, or to cover a structure, on a ship [difficult to distinguish from (b)]; (b) the act of covering a portion of a ship with boards. …

68. tīle n.(2)

124 quotations in 8 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A brick; a masonry tile;—also coll.; brenned tile; clei tile; (b) in related cpds., combs., & phrases: tile of flaundres, flaundres (flaundrish) tile, bricks or tile made in Flanders; tile ston……

69. tinklen v.

5 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) To have a sensation of slight stings or pricks; of the ears: have a sensation of ringing; (b) of a cymbal: to tinkle, ring lightly; tinklen up, of a drum: resound. …

70. tiriake n.

2 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
A drug used as an antidote for poisonous animal bites. …

71. tī̆tle n.

91 quotations in 10 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) An inscription, esp. the superscription on Christ's cross; (b) a stone memorial; also, a stone altar. …

72. tī̆tlen v.

23 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) To write (sth.) down, record, chronicle; list (sth.); also, inscribe (a symbol, name, etc.); also, with adv.: titlen in [quot. c1450(?a1400)]; ppl. titled as adj.: inscribed [quot. c1400]; (b) to……

73. tǒnne n.

86 quotations in 4 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A large barrel for wine, ale, or other liquid; a cask; also fig.; (b) fig. something to be partaken of; a source of vitality or enjoyment; (c) a wine cask of a definite capacity; a measure of……

74. tǒur n.(1)

223 quotations in 10 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A building characterized by height, often free-standing; a tower; also fig.; heigh tour; water tour; (b) such a building used as a fortress, stronghold, or defensive structure; also fig.; also……

75. treu(e n.(1)

Additional spellings: treue
107 quotations in 8 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A pledge to cease hostilities for a lengthy or an indefinite period of time, usu. as a preliminary to further negotiation or the formal establishment of a peace; also, the peace established……

76. trōper(e n.

Additional spellings: tropere
6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
Eccl. A book containing tropes or sequences, a troper or sequencer. …

77. tuft n.

17 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A bunch or gathering of hairs, feathers, twigs, etc. attached at the base, a clump; tuft of roddes (twigges), a stand of young shoots, an osier bed; (b) an ornamental tassel or knob; a crest on a……

78. tumben v.

6 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) To fall; (b) to leap, tumble, dance. …

79. tumblen v.

51 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To fall, fall down, fall to the ground; also, fall in battle, die; throw oneself down [quot. a1450]; also [quot. a1425], be brought down from a great height;—used fig.; of a building: collapse……

80. tup(pe n.

Additional spellings: tuppe
23 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A male sheep, ram; also, a ram's skin [quot. c1450]; tup hed; tup horn; (b) mil. a battering ram; (c) in surnames and place name. …

81. turnen v.

923 quotations in 33 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To move about an axis, a center, or a fixed position, pivot;—also refl. [quot. a1393]; revolve; also fig. and in fig. context; also, spin, whirl; turnen abouten; turnen of herre, of the heavens……

82. vers(e n.

Additional spellings: verse
81 quotations in 5 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) A metrical line; also, a line of poetry; also, one of the two lines of a couplet; verses of the deth, a work written by Helinand; in two verses, in couplets [quot. a1400 Cato(3)]; the golden……

83. vīne n.(1)

74 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Any plant of the genus Vitis, esp. V. vinifera, a vine; also fig.;—also coll. [a few pl. exx. could also be construed as (b)]; ?also, a twig or branch of a vine [quot. ?1440]; also, a pictorial……

84. ward(e n.

Additional spellings: warde
190 quotations in 7 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Keeping, care, custodial possession; safekeeping, storage; protection, preservation; maintenance; sauf ward [see also sauf adj. 6.(c)]; ward store, provisions, stores [prob. by reanalysis of warne……

85. warden v.(1)

47 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To stand guard, keep watch; protect (against sth.), guard; also in fig. context; also, defend oneself [last quot.] (b) to protect (sb. or sth., oneself), defend, guard; protect (sb. or sth.……

86. warnen v.

207 quotations in 7 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To give notice of some existing circumstance or a past or coincident event, make something known (b) to inform (sb., sb. of sth.), notify, advise; (c) to announce (sth. to sb.), proclaim,……

87. wasp n.

24 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) An insect of one of the superfamilies Vespoidea and Sphecoidea, esp. a member of the genus Vespa, a wasp or hornet; also in fig. context; wasp been, ?waspish, aggressive bees; waspe(s nest (b) in……

88. wē̆ld(e n.

Additional spellings: welde
22 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A flowering plant variously to be identified with weld (Reseda luteola) or woad (Isatis tinctoria) [the latter esp. when glossing L sandix or gaisdo];—sometimes used medicinally or to make dye……

89. welle-cresse n.

Additional spellings: wellecresse
14 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The plant watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum); also, the plant fenugreek;—prob. the European Trigonella foenum-graecum, but possibly its British relative, Trifolium ornithopodioides (b)……

90. Welsh n.

23 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) A member of the indigenous population of England at the time of the Anglo-Saxon arrival;—also coll (b) an inhabitant or a native of Wales;—also coll.; (c) the Welsh language; ?also, the French……

91. Welsh adj.

56 quotations in 3 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) Pertaining to the indigenous population of England at the time of the Anglo-Saxon arrival (b) belonging to Wales (as constituted at various times) by birth and descent, Welsh; also, pertaining to……

92. werreien v.

104 quotations in 6 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To wage war, go to war; attack, do battle, fight, harry; werreien forth; werreien samen, wage mutual war, fight each other (b) werreien ayen (ayenes), to engage in war against (sb., a city),……

93. werren v.(1)

128 quotations in 5 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) To wage war, go to war; fight, attack, do battle, harry; werren forth (b) to make war against one another, fight each other; werren samen (togeder), wage mutual war; (c) werren ayen (ayenes, on,……

94. wīle n.(1)

61 quotations in 2 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) An act of deceit, a deception, trick; an underhanded scheme, a subterfuge; a plot, machination; also, a clever maneuver, tactic, cunning strategy; also person. [quot. c1400(?a1387)]; wile and……

95. wīn(e n.(2)

Additional spellings: wine
141 quotations in 6 senses
Sense / Definition
(a) An alcoholic drink, usu. made from crushed whole grapes or from grape juice; also fig. and in fig. context; couchen win, to place a stock of wine in storage; fillen the win, give (sb.) the wine……

96. wōd(e n.(1)

Additional spellings: wode
53 quotations in 1 sense
Sense / Definition
(a) The plant woad (Isatis tinctoria) or the blue dyestuff prepared from the leaves of this plant; ?also, the plant weld (Reseda luteola) or the yellow dyestuff prepared from this plant; also, ?any of……

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