knowleche

English: knowledge

Yola: knoouledge

/ˈknɔu̯lɛːt͡ʃ/


wode

From Old English wōd, from Proto-West Germanic *wōd, from Proto-Germanic *wōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂tós.

When thei saw hir for wode so wilde Thei did lede hir ... With-oute the toun […]And stoned hir to dethe.

When they saw her rage so wild, They did lead her ... out the town … And stoned her to death.

At cherche kan god […] yelde þe wyttes of þe wode.t

(Can we date this quote?), Dan Michel of Northgate, Ayenbite of Inwyt:

madness, insanity, an overmastering emotion, rage, fury


wode

English: wood

Scots: wod, wuid

From Old English wudu, from Proto-West Germanic *widu, from Proto-Germanic *widuz; see wood.


gaile

(Late Middle English) Alternative form of gayole


waget

English: watchet

waget:

Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, al in a kirtel of a light waget — ful faire and thikke ben the poyntes set.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Myllers Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


ragery

Late 1300s, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, “The Merchant’s Tale,”
And after that he sang ful loude and cleere,
And kiste his wyf, and made wantown cheere
He was al coltissh, ful of ragerye,
And ful of jargon as a flekked pye.


divinistre

His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther
As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher,
Therfore I stynte; I nam no divinistre;
Of soules fynde I nat in this registre

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 1951-4:


interstition

The dewes and the frostes hore
After thilke interstition,
In which they take impression

c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:


kercher

A keuerchef [vr. kercher] to him a drouȝ In þat ilche stounde, To stope mide is wonde.

c. 1330, “Early English Text Society, Extra Series 46, 48”, in E. Kölbing, editor, The Romance of Sir Beues of Hamtoun:


rethor

Compare French rhéteur and English rhetor.

It muste be a rethor excellent

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


morwe

English: morrow; morn

Scots: morrow, morra; morn

From Old English morgen, from Proto-West Germanic *morgan, *morgin, from Proto-Germanic *murganaz, *murginaz.
Compare West Frisian moarn.


sautiere

(Late Middle English) Alternative form of sauter


godsib

English: gossip, godsib

From Old English godsibb, equivalent to god + sibbe.

one's sponsor at baptism or confirmation, a godparent


gyderesse

English: guidress, guideress

thou that art gyderesse of verray light, the thinges that thou hast seid me hidirto ben to me so cleer and so schewynge by the devyne lookynge of hem, and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen nat been overcomen.

1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales:


oratour

English: orator

From Anglo-Norman oratour, from Latin ōrātor.

One who advocates or petitions for another.

One who prays or supplicates for another.


unhap

English: unhap

Equivalent to un- (“lack of”) + hap (“luck”).


chamberer

And but thow make a feeste on thilke day / That I was born and make me fressh and gay / And but thow do to my norice honour / And to my chambrere with inne my bour / And to my fadres folk and his allyes

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Prologe of the Tale of the Wẏf of Bathe”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 61, verso:


unworship

To yive a man ſo litel thinge,
It were unworſhip in a kinge

To give a man so little a thing,
 Would be unworship in a king

unworship: lack of worship or respect; dishonour; failure or refusal to worship; irreverence


endower

(rare) Money granted as to support an individual.


arow

English: arrow

Scots: aerrow, arrae, arow, arowe

From Old English ārwe, earh, from Proto-West Germanic *arhu, from Proto-Germanic *arhwō.

An arrow (projectile weapon emitted from a bow)

(figurative) Anything felt to have a (metaphorically) piercing effect.


femele

English: female

Scots: female

Borrowed from Old French femele, from Latin fēmella. Some forms are influenced by male (“male”).


fonne

English: fon (obsolete)

Unknown, perhaps of North Germanic origin; see modern fun. Potentially related to fonnen (“to be insane”).

Chaucer, The Cantebury Tales, The Reeve's Prologue and Tale

Someone who is easily tricked or misled.


norice

desc

English: nurse (obsolete norice, nourice, nourse)

Scots: nourice, nuirice

Borrowed from Old French norrice, from Late Latin nūtrīcia, ultimately from Latin nūtrīx.

A person (usually a woman) employed to take care of one's children; a nanny.

A person who breastfeeds a child; a wet-nurse.

(rare, Christianity) Mary as the guardian of Jesus.

Slepynge longe in greet quiete is eek a greet norice to Leccherie

1394, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Parson's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales:

A long and peaceful sleep is also a true encourager of profligacy.

(by extension) A proponent or engenderer (of a quality, behaviour, etc.)

An animal or plant as a caretaker of its offspring.

(rare) A provider of religious support or education.


narwe

English: narrow

From nearw-, the oblique stem of Old English nearu, from Proto-Germanic *narwaz.

(rare) Something narrow or constrictive.


nevew

English: nephew

Scots: neffae

From Old French neveu, later form of nevod, from Latin nepōtem, accusative of nepōs.

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Monk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3594

[...] For he thy nevew was, and sone-in-lawe, [...]
… For he was thy nephew, and son-in-law, …


wawe

English: waw, wawe (obsolete)

Scots: waw

From inflected forms in wāg- of Old English wǣġ, from Proto-West Germanic *wāg, from Proto-Germanic *wēgaz.

And fro the navele doun al covered was / With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 1099-1100:

A wave (moving zone of water or other flowing substance; undulation)

(usually in the plural) The ocean; a large body of water.

(figurative) A force of change or disruption.


wawe

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of wowe


arsmetrike

Alteration of Old French arismetique, from Latin arithmētica, arithmeticus, from Ancient Greek ἀριθμητική (τέχνη) (arithmētikḗ (tékhnē), “(art of) counting”), feminine of ἀριθμητικός (arithmētikós, “arithmetical”), from ἀριθμός (arithmós, “number, counting”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ri-dʰh₁-mó-s, form of *h₂rey- (“to count, reason”).

der

ἀριθμητική (τέχνη)

In ars-metrike shal there no man fynde, / Biforn this day, of swich a question.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Sompners Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 558-589:


untempter

[…]sotheli God is vntempter [translating intentator] of yuel thingis, forsothe he temptith no man.

c. 1382–1395, John Wycliffe [et al.], edited by Josiah Forshall and Frederic Madden, The Holy Bible, […], volume IV, Oxford: At the University Press, published 1850, →OCLC, James I:13, page 596, column 1:


wowke

And in swich forme enduren a wowke or two.
Thanne were my brother warisshed of his wo.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Frankeleyns Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.
Selde is the Friday al the wowke ylike.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


unlust

He doth all thynge wyth anoye & with wrawnesse, slacknesse, and excusation: wyth ydelnesse and vnlust.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Parsons Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

He doth all thing with annoye, and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusation, with idlenesse and unlust.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Parson’s Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; Charles Cowden Clarke, editor, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. […], 2nd edition, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), Edinburgh: James Nichol; London: James Nisbet & Co.; Dublin: W. Robertson, 1860, →OCLC:


triacle

English: treacle

→ Welsh: triagl

From Old French triacle, from Latin thēriaca, from Ancient Greek θηριακή (thēriakḗ).

...for trewthe telleþ þat loue is triacle of heuene...

c. 1385, William Langland, Piers Plowman, section I:


unwit

[...] Unhappy man! anon I wol me hye
To tellen thyn unwit and thy folye,
And eek the falsnesse of that other wrecche,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1084-1087

… Unhappy man! right now I will hasten myself
To tell thy lack of prudence and thy folly,
And also the falseness of that other wretch,
Insofar as my skill will stretch.

As ferforth as that my conning may strecche.


widwe

English: widow

Scots: weedae, wedow, widdow

From Old English widuwe, from Proto-West Germanic *widuwā, from Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂.

A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed.
He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1169-1171

A man must of necessity love, in spite of all he can do.
He can not flee (from) it, though he should be dead,
Whether she be maid, or widow, or else wife.

Al be she mayde, or widwe, or elles wyf.


treget

English: treget

From Old French tregeter (“to throw around”), ultimately from Latin trans + jacere (“to throw”).

c. 1370s. Unknown, The Romaunt of the Rose. 6266-8.
For, sith they coude not perceyve
His treget and his crueltee,
They wolde him folowe, al wolde he flee.

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


goost

His lighte goost ful blissfully is went.


himpne

And al the Love of Palamon and Arcite
 Of Thebes, though the storie is knowen lite
, And many an himpne, for your holy daies

c. 1386–1388 (date written), Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Legende of Good Women: (please specify the subtitle)”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC:


heraud

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

15th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The House of Fame Then at the last espied I That pursuivantes and herauds[…]


trepeget

Without stroke it mote be take,
 Of trepeget or mangouell

c. 1360s (date written), Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Romaunt of the Rose”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC:


oinement

Ne oinement that wolde clense or bite

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


practisour

Borrowed from Middle French practiseur; equivalent to practisen + -our.


kynrede

English: kindred

Scots: kindred

From Old English cynrǣden; equivalent to kyn + -rede. For forms with -nd-, compare the development of thonder, gandre.

A family relationship; kinship:
Ancestry; one's ancestors.

A family relationship; kinship:
The state of having a noble bloodline.

but thyne enemys been thre, and they han manie children, bretheren, cosyns, and oother ny kynrede...

1387, Chaucer, “v. 2563”, in The Tale of Melibee:


reprefe

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Tale of Melibee, The Canterbury Tales, section 25, line 2413

‘Now is it reasonable and time that I show you when and wherefore that you may change your plans without earning dishonor.’

‘Now is it resoun and tyme that I shewe yow, whanne, and wherfore, that ye may chaunge your conseil with-outen your repreve.’

[...] ‘Besyde a welle Iesus, god and man,
Spak in repreve of the Samaritan:’ [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 15-16

… ‘Beside a well, Jesus, God and man,
Spoke in reproof of the Samaritan:’ …


resoun

English: reason

→ Welsh: rheswm

Yola: raaison, raison

From Anglo-Norman raisun, from Old French reson, from Latin ratiō, ratiōnem.

Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun
To telle yow al the condicioun
Of ech of hem, so as it semed me.

Before I proceed further in this tale,
It seems to me in accord with reason
To tell you all the circumstances
Of each of them, as it seemed to me.


resoun

English: resound

From Old French reson; equivalent to re- + soun.


unstrengthe

From Old English *unstrengþu (“weakness”), equivalent to un- + strengthe.


frelte

he holdith virginite
More parfit than weddying in frelte

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wyfe of Bathes Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


reyn

English: rain

Scots: rain

Yola: rhyne, ryne

From Old English reġn, from Proto-West Germanic *regn, from Proto-Germanic *regną.

His salte teeris trikled doun as reyn.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prioresses Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, line 222:

(by extension) Anything falling from the sky.


reyn

English: rean

Borrowed from Old Norse rein, from Proto-Germanic *rainō.


gobet

[…]and he hadde broke the chaynes, and hadde broke the stockis to smale gobetis, and no man myyte make hym tame.

1388, John Wycliffe, The New Testament in English, Mark 5:4:

[…] and he had broken the chains, and had broken the stocks into small pieces, and no man might make him tame.

He seyde he hadde ǁ a gobet of the seyl / That Seint Peter hadde ǁ[…]

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 10, verso:

He said he had a bit of the sail that Saint Peter had […]


emperice

English: empress

Scots: empress

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman empereiz, contraction of empereriz, from Latin imperatrix; equivalent to emperour + -esse. Final -e is apparently by analogy with other feminine nouns, as the borrowing was early enough for the Middle English gender system to survive.

‘Your blisful suster, Lucina the shene,
That of the see is chief goddesse and quene,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Franklin's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1045-1048

Yet emperesse aboven him is she:’ [...]
‘Your blissful sister, Lucina the bright,
Who of the sea is chief goddess and queen,
Though Neptune have godly dominion in the sea,
Yet empress above him is she:’ …

An empress; a female ruler of an empire.

The wife or partner of an empire's ruler.


forster

An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene;

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 116-117

He carried a horn, the shoulder strap was green;
He was a forester, truly, as I guess.


forster

(hypercorrect) Alternative form of foster


kempe

English: kemp (obsolete)

Scots: kemp (obsolete)

From Old English cempa, from Proto-West Germanic *kampijō; doublet of champioun.

A fighter, battler, or soldier; one who wars.

A spiritual soldier; a fighter of malice.

(rare) A challenger or competitor; an entrant in a competition, especially one requiring physical might.

(rare) A winner; one who succeeds in a competition.

(rare) A person, especially one of large size.


kempe

Unknown; potentially related to Middle Dutch kindekijn.


nadder

English: adder, edder (by rebracketing)

Scots: edder

O · seruant traẏtour / falſe homlẏ hewe / Lẏk to the neddre in boſom / Sly vntrewe

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Marchantes Tale”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 144, verso, lines 25–26:


duhþe

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of douthe


brotelness

[...] On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Merchant's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1279-1280

… On brittle ground they build, and insecurity
They find when they expect security.


avoutrie

English: advowtry, avowtry

Borrowed from Old French avouterie, from Latin adulterium.

Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree
An erchedeken, a man of heigh degree,
That boldely dide execucioun
In punysshynge of fornicacioun,
Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye,
Of diffamacioun, and avowtrye,
Of chirche reves, and of testamentz,
Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz,

14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Friar’s Tale


loave

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of love (“remainder”)


vilany

I curse and blame generally / Alle hem that loven vilany / For vilany makith vilayn

1372, Chaucer, “v. 2179”, in The Romaunt of the Rose:


murage

English: murage

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Middle French murage (compare Medieval Latin mūrāgium). Equivalent to muren + -age.

A tax for the maintenance of town walls; murage.

(rare) Funds for wall construction and repair.

(rare) The privilege of collecting murage.


eale

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of hele (“health”)


lofe

Æt þam ytemestan, broðor mine, hér æfter fyliȝæð þeo mongung be þare ælmessæn lofe.

c. 1175, “Dominica in Quadragessima”, in Algernon Ikey Belfour, editor, Twelfth Century Homilies in MS Bodley 343, published 1909, page 48, lines 12–14:

In conclusion, my brethren, after this comes an exhortation in praise of charity.


kerver

[...] For in the lond ther nas no crafty man,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1897-1899

Ne purtreyour, ne kerver of images, [...]
… For in the land there was no skilled man,
Who knows geometry or arithmetic,
Nor painter, nor carver of images, …


kinrede

For she was oon, the faireste under sonne,
And eek therto come of so heigh kinrede, [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Franklin's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 734-735

For she was of the fairest under sun,
And therewithal come of so high kindred, …


volupeer

She wende the clerk hadde wered a volupeer, And with the staf she drow ay neer and neer

1382, Chaucer, “v. 383”, in The Reeve's Tale:


flemer

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Man of Law's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 459-460

[...] The whyte lamb, that hurt was with the spere,
Flemer of feendes out of him and here [...]
… The white lamb, that was hurt with a spear,
Banisher of fiends out of man and woman …


wikke

Perhaps from an adjectival use of Old English wicca.


liflode

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 53, line 685

Now certainly this foul sin Sloth is also a very great enemy to the sustenance of the body, for it has no preparation against temporal necessity, for it loses by delaying and spoils through sluggishness and destroys all temporal goods by carelessness.

Now certes, this foule sinne Accidie is eek a ful greet enemy to the lyflode of the body; for it ne hath no purveaunce agayn temporel necessitee; for it forsleweth and forsluggeth, and destroyeth alle goodes temporeles by reccheleesnesse.


luxurie

English: luxury

From Old French luxurie, from Latin luxuria.

Lustfulness; sexual desire or attraction.


falwe

From Old English fealg, from Proto-West Germanic *falgu.


dowve

"And est and west upon the peple I belle/ As dooth a dowve sittynge on a berne

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Pardoners Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 110-111:


keverchief

Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were of ground;

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 453-455

That on a Sonday were upon hir heed.
Her kerchiefs were very fine in texture;
I dare swear they weighed ten pound
That on a Sunday were upon her head.


osanne

O thou, that art so fayr and ful of grace,
Be myn advocat in that heighe place
Ther-as withouten ende is songe ‘Osanne,’

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Second Nun's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 67-70

O thou, that art so fair and full of grace,
Be my advocate in that high place
Where unceasingly is sung ‘Hosanna,’
Thou Christ's mother, daughter dear of Anne!

Thou Cristes mooder, doghter dere of Anne!


pomel

English: pommel

Yola: pomeale, pomell

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2689

[...] He pighte him on the pomel of his heed, [...]
… He hit himself on the top of his head, …


heyne

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1319-1320

He slyly took it out, this cursed heyne—
Unwiting this preest of his false craft— [...]
He slyly took it out, this cursed rascal—
This priest not knowing of his false craft— …


gladship

Me thenketh is ay the lenger the ferre
That bringeth my gladship out of erre

c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:


gyse

And to the ladyes he reſtored agayn / The bodyes of her huſbandes yͭ were ſlayn / To done obſequies as tho was the gyſe

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio i, verso, column 2, lines 133–135:


licour

English: liquor

Scots: liquor

Borrowed from Old French licour, from Latin liquor (“fluidity; a liquid”).

Whan that Auerill wᵗ his shoures soote / The droghte of march hath ꝑced to the roote / And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour / Of which v̄tu engendred is the flour[…]

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 2, recto:

When that April, with its sweet showers / Has pierced March's drought to the root / And bathed every vein in fluid such that / with its power, the flower is made […]

A beverage or drink; a liquid for consumption.


foyson

Late 14th century: Fyve þousand folk it was as greet mervaille / Wiþ loves fyve and fisshes two to feede. / God sente his foyson at hir grete neede.


gilour

English: guiler

And þow hast gyuen hire to a gyloure · now god gyf þe sorwe.

c. 1385, William Langland, Piers Plowman, section II:

And you have given her to a deceiver—now may God give you sorrow!


mendinaunt

Ultimately from Old French mendier (“to beg”), from Latin mendīcāre.

foꝛ it ſuffyſeth / Our loꝛde Ieſu, as holy wꝛyte deuyſeth / Yaue us enſample of faſtynge and pꝛayers / Therefoꝛe we mendicantes, we ſely freres / Ben wedded to pouerte and continence / To cherite, humbleneſſ, and abſtinence / [...] And therefoꝛe maye ye ſe that our pꝛayeres / (I ſpeke of us medicant, we freres) / Ben to the hye god moꝛe acceptable / Then yours, wyth your feeſt at your table

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Sompners Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio xlvi, recto:

For it suffices, our Lord Jesus, as the holy scriptures describe, gave us an example of fasting and prayers. Therefore we mendicants, we pious frairs are wedded to poverty and continence; to charity, humbleness, and abstinence … And therefore may you see that our prayers (I speak of us mendicants, us friars) are more acceptable to the high God than yours, with your feast at your table.


knittle

A string that draws together a purse or bag.


pacquet

English: packet

Scots: packet

Either from Middle French pacquet, or formed independently from pak + -et (which in any case it is equivalent to).


freelte

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wife of Bath's Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], OCLC 230972125; lines 97-100; (This reading only found in Royal MS 17 D XV; others read frelete--see Walter W Skeat (editor), Geoffrey Chaucer, "Index, Freletee" in The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer; Oxford, Volume 6.)

In sum: he held virginity / Nearer to perfection than marriage for frailty. And I say that frailty's all, unless he and she / Live their lives entire in chastity

This al and som he heeld virgynytee / More profit than weddyng in freeltee / Freeltee clepe I, but if that he and she / wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee


lyves

And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”

1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:

And I said, "Sir, in his time master John Wycliffe was held by very many men the greatest clerk that they knew living upon earth. And therewith he was named, as I guess worthily, a passing ruly man and an innocent in all his living. And herefore great men of cunning and others also drawn much to him, and communed oft with him. And they savored so his lore that they wrote it busily and enforced them to rule them thereafter… Master John Aston taught and wrote accordingly and very busily, where and when and to whom he might, and he used it himself, I guess, right perfectly unto his life's end. Also Filip of Repintown while he was a canon of Leicester, Nicholas Hereford, dan Geffrey of Pickering, monk of Byland and a master divinity, and John Purvey, and many others which were held righteous men and prudent, taught and wrote busily this forsaid lore of Wycliffe, and conformed them thereto. And with all these men I was oft homely and I communed with them many a long time, and so before all other men I choose willfully to be informed by them and of them, and specially of Wycliffe himself, as of the most virtuous and goodly wise man that I heard of anywhere either knew. And herefore of Wycliffe specially and of these men I took the lore which I have taught and purpose to live after, if God will, to my life's end.


riban

From Old French riban, probably from a Germanic compound derived from Proto-Germanic *bandiz.


fadme

English: fathom

heigh labour / and greet apparaillẏnge
was at the seruẏse / and the fẏr makẏnge
That wᵗ his grene top / the heuene raughte
and twentẏ fadme of brede / the armes straughte

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Knẏghtes Tale”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 38, verso:

Great labour and appareling came to the service and the fire-making, for the pyre's green top reached to the skies, and its arms were twenty fathoms wide

A fathom: a unit of length equal to six feet.


ryal

English: rial, ryal

Scots: rial, ryal

From Anglo-Norman reial, rial, from Latin rēgālis. Doublet of royal.

(Late Middle English) A royal, noble, member of royalty or nobility.

(Late Middle English) ryal/royal (coin), or a similar coin

(Late Middle English, hunting) The second protrusion coming from a deer's antler.


engyn

desctree

English: engine
→ Afrikaans: enjin
→ Bengali: ইঞ্জিন (injin)
→ Hindi: इंजन (iñjan)
→ Iban: injin
→ Japanese: エンジン
→ Hakka: 引擎 (ên-chín)
→ Min Nan: 引擎 (ia̋n-jín)
→ Korean: 엔진 (enjin)
→ Malay: enjin
Indonesian: enjin
→ Scottish Gaelic: einnsean
→ Swahili: injini
→ Shanghainese: 引擎 (in¹-jin⁶)
→ Chinese: 引擎 (yǐnqíng)

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman engine ?, from Old French engin m.

Ther may no man out of the place it dryve
For noon engyn of windas or polyve; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Squire's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 183-184

No man there can drive it out of the place
Despite any contrivance of windlass or pulley; …

But consider wel that I ne usurpe not to have founden this werk of my labour or of myn engyn.

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Second Nun's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 338-339

Right as a man hath sapiences three,
Memorie, engyn, and intellect also, [...]
Exactly as a man has three mental faculties,
Memory, imagination, and judgement also, …


maistress

I must as a hertless body
Abide alone in hevyness,
And ye shal do wel with your maistress

c. 1440, Charles d'Orleans, Eleanor P. Hammond (editor), "Go forth my heart" in English Verse from Chaucer to Surrey; republished 1927; Duke U. P.; p. 214-232

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


mokadour

desc

English: muckender, mockador, mockadour, muckenger, muckinder, muckinger, muckiter

Borrowed from Old Occitan mocador (“handkerchief”).

bor+

w:Webster's Dictionary#Webster's New International Dictionary 1909


poraille

It is not honeſt, it maye not auaunce / For to deale wyth ſuche porayle / But all wyth ryche and ſellers of vytayle

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales (in Middle English), [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, “The Frere”, column 2, lines 246–248:

It is not honest, it may not advance / To deal with such poor people / But all with rich, and sellers of food


brigge

English: bridge

Geordie English: brig

Scots: brig

Yola: burge

Inherited from Old English brycġ. The final vowel is generalised from Old English inflected forms.

A bridge (structure that crosses river or a divide)

(figuratively) A straight raised portion of something; e.g. the bridge of a nose.

c, 1375, Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Taleshttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=E4DXD7Sk7WcC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA78#v=onepage&q=brigge&f=false
At Trumpyngtoun, nat fer fro Cantebrigge,
There gooth a brook, and over that a brigge
At Trumpington not far from Cambridge,
there goes a brook, and over that a bridge


popet

English: puppet, poppet

Probably from Middle French poupette, though it antedates it.

He in the wast is shape as wel as I; / This were a popet in an arm t’enbrace / For any womman smal and fair of face!

c. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Prologue to "Sir Thopas", lines 700–702 (Ellesmere):

He in the waist is made as nice as I; / This would be a popet in one's arms to embrace / For any woman small and fair of face!


coroun

For al the world, right as the dayesye
†I-coroned is with whyte leves lyte,
Swich were the floures of hir coroun whyte.
For of o perle fyn and oriental
†Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al;
†For which the whyte coroun, above the grene,
†Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene,

c. 1386–1388, (date written), Chaucer, The Legend of Good Women, in Walter W. Skeat (ed.), The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Oxford: Clarendon Press, Vol. 3, second edition, published 1900. "Prologue of .ix. goode Wimmen.", text A, l. 150-157

Considered eek the fret of gold above.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)

And thow shalt clothe it with moost puyr gold, as wel the litel fier panne of it, as the walles bi enuyroun, and the hornes; and thow shalt make to it a coroun of gold bi enuyroun

c. 1382–1395, John Wycliffe [et al.], edited by Josiah Forshall and Frederic Madden, The Holy Bible, […], volume I, Oxford: At the University Press, published 1850, →OCLC, Exodus XXX:3, page 265:

KJV: And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.


accordaunce

English: accordance

From Old French acordance (“agreeing, reconciliation, harmony”).


infaunt

English: infant


servaunt

enm-noun

servaunt (plural servauntes or servauns)

q

dialectal <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">sarvant</i>

English: servant (dialectal sarvant)

Scots: servant, sairvant, servan

From Old French servent, servant, originally the present participle of servir; equivalent to serven + -ant. Doublet of serjaunt.

A labourer or employee; one who works for another:

A lover; one in a romantic relationship with another.

[…]Is verray god / this is al our sentence / That hath so good a seruant / hym to serue / This with o voys / we trowen thogh we sterue

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Nonne”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 171, recto, lines 418-420:

[…] is true God (this all of us believe) / who has such a good follower to serve Him. / This we believe without exception, even if we die.

⁊ folkis ben wrooþ · ⁊ þi wraþþe cam · ⁊ tyme of deed men to be demed · ⁊ to ȝelde meede to þi ſeruauntis ⁊ pꝛophetis ⁊ halowis ⁊ dꝛedynge þi name · to ſmale ⁊ to grete / ⁊ to diſtrie hem þat coꝛrumpiden þe erþe

c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.), published c. 1410, Apocalips 11:18, page 121r, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:

And the nations were furious; then your fury came. It is time for the dead to be judged, to give rewards to your servants, prophets, saints, and those who fear your name, both small and large, and to destroy those who destroyed the Earth.

(religion) A follower of a deity or religious concept.

A soldier following a ranking individual.


tyraunt

English: tyrant

Scots: tirran, tarran

From Old French tirant, tyrant, tiran, from Latin tyrannus, from Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos).

To hom þat wolde is wille do debonere he was & milde & to hom þat wiþsede strong tirant & wilde.

1297, Robert of Gloucester, Chronicle, published 7689:

Princes, þat is,... tirauntis of þis warld.

c. 1340, Richard Rolle, Psalter, XXXII 10:

c. 1374, Geoffrey Chaucer translating Boëthius, De Consolatione Philosophiæ, III v 59

1382, Wycliffe's Bible, Dan. 1:3

The sonys of Yrael, and of the kyngus bloode, and the children of tyrauntis.

An absolute monarch; one who rules in despotism.

c. 1290, in the South-English Legendary (MS Laud 108), I 128

Ore louerd helpe nouþe seint thomas : for oþur frend nath he non, / A-mong so manie tyraunz for-to come: þat weren alle is fon!

A bastard no kyngdom suld hald Bot if þat he it wan... Of tirant or of Sarazin.

c. 1330, Robert Mannyng, Chronicle, section 51:

Attache þo tyrauntz...And fettereth fast falsenesse...And gurdeth of gyles hed.

1377, William Langland, Piers Plowman, I 199:

Whan a Kyng rulith his Realme onely to his own profytt, and not to the good of his Subgetts, he ys a Tyraunte.

c. 1471, John Fortescue, Works, section 453:

A monarch who is evil, merciless, or unfair.

A ruler who takes over a nation or usurps.

One who suppresses or oppresses the followers of a creed.

A scoundrel or malfeasant; one who is merciless, unfair, or evil.


sompnour

Borrowed from Old French semoneor; equivalent to somonen, sompnen + -our.

This Somnour in his stiropes hye stood;
Up-on this Frere his herte was so wood,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Summoner's Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 1665-1667

This Summoner in his stirrups stood high;
Upon this Friar his heart was so enraged,
That like an aspen leaf he quaked for ire.

That lyk an aspen leef he quook for yre.


werre

English: war

Scots: wer, weir, war

From Old English werre, wyrre, borrowed from Old Northern French werre, from Medieval Latin werra, borrowed from Frankish *werru (“confusion; quarrel”).

And bar him so, in pees and eke in werre […]

a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knight's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, line 1447:

And he acted so that, in peace and in war as well, […]

A joust or tourney; mock equestrian conflict.

(religion) A moral conflict or struggle.

Non-military conflict or strife:
A moral conflict or struggle.

(uncommon) Minor armed unrest or attacks.

Non-military conflict or strife:
Minor armed unrest or attacks.

(hunting, rare) The struggles of one's quarry.


werre

English: war, waur, wor (dialectal)

Middle Scots: wer

Scots: waur

Borrowed from Old Norse verri, from Proto-Germanic *wirsizô. Doublet of worse.

Something or someone which is more yvel or ille (i.e. worse).


ferdness

Alternative form of ferdnesse (“fearfulness”)


sengle

Yola: sangle

From Old French cengle, from Vulgar Latin *cingla, from Late Latin cingula.

A supporting strap or band; girth, surcingle


gise

But who ſo wol chaſtyce me / Anone my loue loſt hath he / For I loue no man in no gyſe / That wol me repreue, or chaſtyce […]

c. 1360s (date written), Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Romaunt of the Rose”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC, folio clxiii, recto, column 1:

But who so will chastise me / Anon [at once] my love lost hath he, / For I love no man in no guise / That will me reprove, or chastise, […]


creatour

English: creator

Scots: creator

From Old French creator, creatour, creatur, from Latin creātor; equivalent to createn + -our.

The Christian God as a creator and maker (of the world).

(rare) A symbol of God (e.g. a communion wafer; a cross).


glew

English: glue

Scots: glue

From Old French glu, from Late Latin glūs, from Latin glūten, from Proto-Italic *gloiten.

A adhesive or adherent; something that binds:

glue; a substance designed to adhere two things together.

Cunne we wel Goddis lawe, and loke wher Fariseis grounden hem in it; and if þei done not, flee we her sentence as heresie or fendis glewe.

a. 1384, John Wyclif, “On Dai of Many Martris [On the Day of Many Martyrs]”, in Thomas Arnold, editor, Select English Works of John Wyclif, volume I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1869, page 223:

birdlime; a trap or capturing mechanism.


elne

English: ell

Scots: elne, ellne, eln, el, ell


elne

English: ellen, elne (obsolete)


brere

English: briar

From Old English brēr, brǣr (“briar; bramble”).

With thikke brustles of his berd unsofte,
Lyk to the skyn of houndfyssh, sharp as brere.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


wele

English: weal

Scots: weal, weel

Inherited from Old English wela, from Proto-West Germanic *welō, *walō, from Proto-Germanic *walô. For more; see English weal.

Ofte mony mon forgos þe mo. // Þe oȝte better þyseluen blesse // And love ay God in wele and wo, // For anger gaynez þe not a cresse;

c. Late 14th Century, Pearl, Lines 340-343


launcet

English: lancet

Borrowed from Old French lancete; equivalent to lance + -et.


somnour

A sysour and a somnour tho softliche forth ȝede

c. 1370–1390, [William Langland], “(please specify the passus number)”, in The Vision of Pierce Plowman [...], London: […] Roberte Crowley, […], published 1550, →OCLC:


bedrip

English: bedrip

Yola: bederup

From Old English bedrīp, equivalent to bede (“request”) + ripe (“reaping”).

A day of reaping demanded from tenants by their feudal lord

(usually attributive) Something given as a substitute for reaping.

(rare) An individual obligated to perform this reaping.


sublimatory

Vyols, crosselettes, and sublymatoryes

Violles Creseletys . and sublimatories

14h century, Geoffrey Chaucer, edited by Frederick J. Furnivall, The Petworth MS of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, London, 1868-1879, p. 554, l. 793 (inside þᵉ tale of þe chanons ȝeman)


minitere

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of mynter


flatour

Borrowed from Old French flatour, variant of flateour, from the verb flater (“to flatter”).

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4515-4516

Is in your courtes, and many a losengeour, [...]
Alas! you lords, many a false flatterer
Is in your courts, and many a sycophant, …


wardmote

Somme seruen þe kyng · and his siluer tellen / In cheker and in chancerye · chalengen his dettes / Of wardes and wardmotes · weyues and streyues.

c. 1370–1390, [William Langland], “[Prologue]”, in The Vision of Pierce Plowman [...], London: […] Roberte Crowley, […], published 1550, →OCLC:


wastour

English: waster; wastor, wastour

Scots: waster

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman wastour (continental Old French gasteor); equivalent to wast (“desolate”) + -our.

A devastator or raider; one who lays waste.

A squanderer; one who wastes money or resources.


feyre

English: fair

Yola: feyer, vaar

From Old French foire, from Vulgar Latin *fēria, from the classical Latin plural noun fēriae.

I governed hem so wel after my lawe
That eche of hem ful blisful was and fawe
To bringen me gay thinges fro the feyre

c. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wife of Bath's Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales:

I governed them so well by my rules
 That each was blissful and happy
 To bring me gay things from the fair


hething

‘Allas,’ quod Iohn, ‘the day that I was born!

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Reeve's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4109-4110

‘Alas,’ said John, ‘the day that I was born!
Now are we driven to contempt and to scorn.’

Now are we drive til hething and til scorn.’


henxman

English: henchman

→ Scots: hanchman

Scots: hensman, henceman (obsolete)

Either from a putative Old English *henġestmann or formed anew from Old English henġest + man (“man”).

A male attendant to a high-ranking noble.


muskadel

English: muscadel, muscatel

Borrowed from Old Occitan muscadel, diminutive of muscat. Compare Medieval Latin muscatellum, muscadellum.

(Late Middle English) Wine made from muscat grapes; muscatel.


windas

Ther may no man out of the place it dryve

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Squire's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 183-185

And cause why, for they can nat the craft.
No man there can drive it out of the place
Despite any contrivance of windlass or pulley;
And the reason why? Because they do not know the craft.


reddour

But above all in his noblesse
Betwene the reddour and pite
A king shall do suche equite

c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:


rewme

English: realm

Scots: realm

Borrowed from Old French reaume, of disputed origin. For the change of /ɛu̯/ to /ɛː/ before /m/, compare flewme.

The subjects of a ruler; the people of a realm.

And it was doon aftirward · ⁊ [iheſus] made iourneis bi citees ⁊ caſtelis, [pꝛe]ch[in]ge ⁊ euangelizynge þe rewme of god / ⁊ twelue wiþ h[im] ·

c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.), published c. 1410, Luke 8:1, page 32r, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:

After that happened, Jesus made visits to cities and fortresses, preaching about and disseminating the kingdom of God with the Twelve alongside him.


dereling

‘Why, nay,’ quod he, ‘god woot, my swete leef,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Miller's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3792-3793

"Why, nay," said he, "God knows, my sweet beloved,
I am thy Absolon, my darling!


houve

Scots: how, hou

From Old English hūfe (“a covering for the head”), from Proto-West Germanic *hūbā, from Proto-Germanic *hūbǭ (“hood, cowl”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewp- (“to bend, curve, vault”).
Cognate with Dutch huif (“hood, tent”), German Haube (“hood, bonnet, cap”), Swedish huva (“hood, bonnet, cap”), Icelandic húfa (“cap”).

der

A head covering of various kinds; a hood; a coif; a cap.


gour

Alternative form of gore (“patch (of land, fabric), clothes”)


delayment

He made no delayment
But goth hym home in all bye


unthank

Unthank come on his hand that bound him so.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Reues Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


alestake

And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.
A gerland hadde he set upon his heed
As greet as it were for an ale-stake;
A bokeleer hadde he maad him of a cake.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


meselry

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 42, line 625

Now if he reprove him for harm of pain, then the reproof turns to Jesus Christ, for pain is sent by the righteous dispensation of God, and by his permission, be it leprosy, or bodily injury, or illness.

Now if he repreve him by harm of peyne, thanne turneth the repreve to Iesu Crist; for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god, and by his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym, or maladye.


galwes

Scots: galow, gallo, gallows

English: gallow, gallows

From Old English ġealga, galga, from Proto-Germanic *galgô.

‘The tree,’ quod she, ‘the galwes is to mene,
And Iuppiter bitokneth snow and reyn,’ [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Monk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3941-3942

‘The tree,’ said she, ‘is to signify the gallows,
And Jupiter betokens snow and rain,’ …


loresman

English: loresman

From lores (“pieces of knowledge”) + man (“man, person”).

af

(rare) instructor, tutor, teacher; especially a religious one.


secre

[...] But to his wyves tolde he his secree,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Monk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3211-3212

Through which he slow him-self, for wrecchednesse.
… But to his wives he told his secret,
Through which he slew himself for wretchedness.


chaunterie

English: chantry

From Old French chaunterie; equivalent to chaunten + -erie.

[...] And ran to London, un-to sëynt Poules,
To seken him a chaunterie for soules, [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 509-510

… And run to London unto Saint Paul's,
To seek an appointment as a chantry priest, …

An endowment for the maintenance of a priest to sing a daily mass for the souls of specified people

A chantry (chapel set up for the above endowment)

[...] Fro þe kyng watʒ cummen with knyʒtes in to þe halle,
Þe chauntre of þe chapel cheued to an ende; [...]

c. 14th century, Gawain Poet, part I, stanza 4, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, line 62-63

… For the king was come with knights into the hall,
And chanting in the chapel had chimed to an end; …

(rare) The chanting which occurs during Mass.


povert

Povert is hateful good, and, as I gesse,
A ful greet bringer out of bisinesse; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1195-1196

Poverty is a hateful good and, as I guess,
A very great remover of cares; …


gerner

English: garner

Scots: girnel, garnel

Borrowed from Old French gernier, grenier, from Latin grānārium; equivalent to greyn + -er.

Wel koude he keepe / a Gerner and a Bynne / Ther was noon Auditour / koude on hym wynne

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 9, verso:

He could keep a granary and a grain-bin well, / and there was no auditor who could best him.

A granary; a building for storing grain.


heroner

Bothe heroner and faucon for ryuere

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


honestetee

I speke this for the synne of superfluitee, and nat for resonable honestitee, whan reson it requireth.

1394, Chaucer, “v. 436”, in The Parson's Tale:


mervaille

Fyve thousand folk it was as gret mervaille

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Man of Law's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 502-503

It was as great marvel five thousand folk
To feed with five loaves and two fish.

With loves fyve and fisshes two to fede.


opye

For he had yive his gayler drinke so
Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn,
With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1470-1475

And thus he fleeth as faste as ever he may.
For he had so given his jailer drink
Of a spiced and sweetened drink made of a certain wine,
With narcotics and pure opium of Thebes,
That all that night, though men would shake him,
The jailer slept, he could not awake;
And thus he flees as fast as ever he can.


meritote

What eylith you, some gay gerl, God it wote / Hath brought in you thus on the meritote.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Myllers Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, line 662:

A children's game of swinging on ropes or similar until dizzy.


recoveree

English: recovery

From Old French recovree; equivalent to recoveren + -e (participial suffix).

(rare, Late Middle English) Restoration or granting of that which is legally due.


mistihead

And Phoebus your father, with his streames red, / Adorns the morrow, consuming the sort / Of misty cloudes, that would overlade / True humble heartes with their mistihead.

14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, A Goodly Ballad of Chaucer; republished as David Laing Purves, compiler, The Canterbury Tales with Other Poems, 1870:


leyser

English: leisure

Yola: lizure

Borrowed from Old French leisir, laisir, variants of loisir.

Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie. Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.


mooder

[...] Wel mighte a mooder than han cryed ‘allas!’

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Clerk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 563

… Well might a mother then have cried ‘alas!’


wrawnesse

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 53, line 680

But Sloth does no such diligence; he does all thing with vexation, and with fretfulness, slowness, and making excuses, and with idleness and disinclination; for which the book says: ‘Cursed be he that does the service of God negligently.’

But Accidie dooth no swich diligence; he dooth alle thing with anoy, and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusacioun, and with ydelnesse and unlust; for which the book seith: ‘acursed be he that doth the service of god necligently.’


atazir

From Old French [Term?], from Arabic التأثير (at-taʔṯīr, “influence”).

O Mars, o atazir, as in this cas!

14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale, lines 304-305

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

(astrology, rare) The influence of a celestial body on other such bodies or on the fortunes of people.


rethoryke

Highte this clerk, whos rethoryke sweete Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye

1394, Chaucer, “v. 32”, in The Clerk's Prologue:


shild

From Old English sċyld (“guilt, sin, crime, offence, fault, debt, due, obligation, liability”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots sculd (“debt”), North Frisian schild (“debt, guilt, fault”), West Frisian skuld (“debt, guilt, fault”), Dutch schuld (“debt, fault, guilt”), German Schuld (“debt, guilt, fault”), Swedish skuld (“debt, guilt, blame”), Norwegian skyld (“guilt”), Icelandic skuld (“debt”), Lithuanian kaltė (“guilt”).


welle

English: well

Yola: well

From Old English wielle, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ.


eschaunge

English: exchange

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman eschaunge, from eschaungier (“to exchange”); equivalent to es- + chaunge.

Exchange; giving in compensation for something received:

Trade, commerce; mercantile intercourse.

Moneychanging; the exchange of currency.


glasynge

English: glazing

Scouring, polishing; the smoothening of surfaces.


beggestere

He knew the tavernes wel in every toun
And everich hostiler and tappestere
Bet than a lazar or a beggestere;

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, lines 240-242:


storier

Either from storie + -er or a shortening of historier.

(rare, Late Middle English) historian, storyteller


nale

great feastes at the nale

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Freres Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


abbey-laird

a monastery ruled by a landed proprietor


markisesse

English: marchioness

But wᵗ glad cheere to the yate is she went / With oother folk to greete the markyſeſſe / And after that doth forth hir biſyneſſe

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The [Clerkys] Tale [of Oxenford]”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 188, verso:

But with a glad countenance she went to the gate / Along with other folks, to greet the Marchioness / And afterwards she went about her business.


ellebore

A day or two ye shul have digestyves
Of wormes, er ye take your laxatyves,
Of lauriol, centaure, and fumetere,
Or elles of ellebor, that groweth there, [...]
A day or two you shall have digestives
Of worms, before you take your laxatives,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4151-4154

Or else of hellebore, that grows there, …

Of spurge laurel, centaury, and fumitory,


fermacy

To othere woundes, and to broken armes,
Some hadden salves, and some hadden charmes;

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2711-2714

They dronken, for they wolde hir limes have.
To other wounds and to broken arms,
Some had salves, and some had charms;
Medicines made of herbs, and also of sage
They drank, for they wanted to have their limbs cured.


lymail

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Tale of the Chanons Yeman”, in The Canterbury Tales, Harleian ms. 7334; republised and transcribed in Frederick J. Furnivall (editor), The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales, 1885, →OCLC, page 568, lines 1266–1269

In the end of which an ounce (and no more) / Of silver filings were placed, just as / had previously been in his coal, and [the vessel] was stopped well with wax / To keep the filings in completely

in þende of which an vnce and no more / Of siluer lymail put was as bifore / was in his cole and stopped wiþ wex wel / For to kepe in his limail euery del


relik

English: relic

Borrowed from Old French relique, from Latin reliquiae.

(by extension) A valuable object or individual

(in translations) A remnant; a remainder.

(rare) An effect; the remains of something.


hegge

English: hedge

Scots: hedge

From Old English heċġ, from Proto-West Germanic *haggju. The final vowel is generalised from the Old English inflected forms.

A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee,
That in the grove hadde woned yeres three,
By heigh imaginacioun forn-cast,
The same night thurgh-out the hegges brast [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4405-4408

A fox, full of sly iniquity,
That in the grove had dwelled three years,
By exalted imagination predestined,
The same night through the hedges broke …

A bush or shrub; a stout or short woody plant.

(rare) An enclosure; a fenced-off or bounded area.


ferthe

English: fourth

Scots: fourt

From Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa; equivalent to and often remodelled after four + -the (ordinal suffix).

One of four equal parts of a whole; a fourth.


payen

English: payen (obsolete)

From Anglo-Norman paien, paen, from Latin pāgānus.


clappe

English: clap

Scots: clap

A loud sound or commotion, especially consisting of speech.

(rare) A strike or attack; a forceful motion.

(rare) An lucky or unlucky event or happening.

(rare) A part of a mill that impels grain.


capitainerie

English: captainry

Borrowed from Middle French capitainerie; equivalent to capitain + -erie.

bor+

(rare) The position of a military administrator of a fort or settlement.


traht

From Old English traht (“text, passage: exposition, treatise, commentary”) see below.

der

To þysen twam wifmannen awrat se ilca Jeronimus manigfealde tractbec, — Early English Homilies, c1150

Ðis godspel is langsum & hæfð longne traht. — Homilies in MS Bodley, c1175


furour

desc

obsolete <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">furour</i>

English: furor (obsolete furour)

Borrowed from Middle French fureur, from Old French furor, from Latin furōrem.

(Late Middle English, rare) furor, wrath


transgressour

English: transgressor

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman transgressour, from Latin transgressor. Compare transgressioun.


surveyour

English: surveyor

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman surveour; equivalent to surveyen + -our.

An overseer, superintendent, or supervisor:

A household official who manages and organises meals.

(law) One who oversees the executors of a will.

One who manages and enforces the regulations of a guild or university.

A government officer or supervisor, especially of customs.


nutte

From Old English nytt (“use, utility, advantage”); cognate with Dutch nut (“use”).

der

nought to nuttes

A he seide þat Bruttes neoren noht to nuttes, ah he seide þat þe Peohtes weoren gode cnihtes. — Layamon's Brut, c1275


jangleresse

Old French jangleresse, feminine of jangleor.


cicle

From Late Latin cyclus, possibly through an unattested Old French form.

þe great cicle of þe Ester terme


repreve

[...] ‘Besyde a welle Iesus, god and man,
Spak in repreve of the Samaritan:’ [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 15-16

… ‘Beside a well, Jesus, God and man,
Spoke in reproof of the Samaritan:’ …


opie

For he had yive his gayler drinke so
Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn,
With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake,
The gayler sleep, he mighte nat awake; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1470-1474

For he had so given his jailer drink
Of a spiced and sweetened drink made of a certain wine,
With narcotics and pure opium of Thebes,
That all that night, though men would shake him,
The jailer slept; he could not awake; …


resalgar

[...] Resalgar, and our materes enbibing;
And eek of our materes encorporing, [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 814-815

… Arsenic, and soaking our materials;
And also of forming a compound of our materials, …


trappures

Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys
So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel
Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of steel;
The sheeldes brighte, testers, and trappures; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2496-2499

There canst thou see preparation of armor
So exotic and so rich, and wrought so well
Of goldsmiths' works, of embroidery, and of steel;
The bright shields, horses' head-armor, and horse-armor; …


gnast

English: gnast

From Old English *gnāst, from Proto-Germanic *gahnaistô.


enchauntour

English: enchanter

Scots: enchanter

From Old French enchanteor, from Latin incantātor; equivalent to enchaunten + -our.

But lat us go now to thilke horrible sweryng of adjuracioun and conjuracioun, as doon thise false enchauntours or nigromanciens in bacyns ful of water, or in a bright swerd, in a cercle, or in a fir, or in a shulderboon of a sheep.

14ᵗʰ C., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Parson's Tale, section 38, https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales/The_Parson%27s_Prologue_and_Tale


holour

‘And if that she be fair, thou verray knave,
Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have;
She may no whyle in chastitee abyde,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 253-256

‘And if she be fair, thou utter knave,
Thou sayest that every lecher wants to have her;
She can not remain chaste for any length of time,
Who is assailed on every side.’


losengerie

From Old French losengerie; equivalent to losengen + -erie.

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 40, line 613

Flatterers are the devil's nurses, that nourish his children with milk of deceit.

Flatereres been the develes norices, that norissen hise children with milk of losengerie.


rasour

This Sampson never sicer drank ne wyn,
Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne shere, [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Monk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3245-3246

This Sampson never drank alcoholic drinks nor wine,
Nor on his head came any razor or scissors, …


chesteyn

Wilwe, elm, plane, assch, box, chesteyn.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


chewet

English: chewet (obsolete)

Unknown; formed as if from chewen + -et; but the OED considers this unlikely.


favel

From Old French favel. Uses after the 14th century are based on William Langland's The vision of Piers Plowman.


adle

English: adle

From the oblique forms of Old English ādl, from Proto-West Germanic *aidlu, from Proto-Germanic *aidlō.


cuvent

(Early Middle English) Alternative form of covent


blancmanger

English: blancmange

For blankmanger that made he with the beste. A Schipman was ther, wonyng fer by weste

1387, Chaucer, “v. 387”, in General Prologue:

A sort of fricassee with white sauce, variously made of capon, fish, etc.; blancmange.


eyr

The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond

1387, Chaucer, “v. 2993”, in The Knight's Tale:

The fire, the "air", the water, and the land


holdscipe

They said they did it out of loyalty to the monastery.

Sægdon þet hi hit dyden for ðes mynstres holdscipe. — Peterborough Chronicle, 1121


gestour

English: jester

Scots: jestar

Equivalent to gesten + -our; compare geste (“a deed”).

mynstrales and gestours for to telle tales

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Ryme of Syr Thopas”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


letuary

Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries,
To sende him drogges and his letuaries,
For ech of hem made other for to winne;

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 425-428

He had his apothecaries all ready
To send him drugs and his electuaries,
For each of them made the other to profit;
Their friendship was not recently begun.

Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne.

And many a letuarie hadde he ful fyn,
Swiche as the cursed monk dan Constantyn
Hath writen in his book de Coitu;

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Merchant's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1809-1812

And many a very fine aphrodisiac had he,
Such as the cursed monk, Dan Constantine,
Has written in his book Concerning Intercourse;
To eat them all he was not at all averse.

To eten hem alle, he nas no-thing eschu.


mistery

Alternative form of mysterie (“mystery”)


pyke

English: pike, peak; pick (in part)

Scots: pike, pick

Yola: pick

From Old English pīc, from Proto-West Germanic *pīk, from Proto-Germanic *pīkaz.

A point or end of something in general; especially the end of a shoe.

A pike; a piercing weapon with a spike affixed.

A pickaxe; an axe with a chisel edge on one side.

A number of other tools noted for their pointiness.

A barb or talon of an animal or a plant.

A pike (fish with a barbed mouth (Esox lucius))


blewe

English: blue

Scots: blew, blue

From Anglo-Norman blew; from Proto-Germanic *blēwaz. See also blo.


nigromancien

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 37, line 603

But let us go now to this horrible swearing of exorcism and conjuring spirits, as do these false enchanters or necromancers in basins full of water, or in a bright sword, in a circle, or in a fire, or in a shoulder-bone of a sheep.

But lat us go now to thilke horrible swering of adiuracioun and coniuracioun, as doon thise false enchauntours or nigromanciens in bacins ful of water, or in a bright swerd, in a cercle, or in a fyr, or in a shulder-boon of a sheep.


cowardie

English: cowardie (obsolete)

From Old French coardie; equivalent to coward + -ie.


misbileve

for ye ſhal haue no myſbeleue / Ne wronge conceyte of me in your abſence / I wol not ben out of your preſence

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Tale of the Chanons Yeman”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio lxvii, verso, column 2:

And yet, so that you will have no suspicions / Nor think ill of me in my absence / I will never leave your presence


oter

English: otter

Scots: otter

From Old English otor, from Proto-West Germanic *otr.


caroigne

c. 1380, William Langland, Piers Plowman
The kirke shal haue my caroigne and kepe my bones.


fermerere

From Old French enfermerier, from enfermerie (“infirmary”). See infirmary.

‘So dide our sexteyn and our fermerer,
That han been trewe freres fifty yeer;
They may now, god be thanked of his lone,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Summoner's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1859-1862

‘So did our sacristan and the head of our infirmary,
That have been true friars fifty years;
They may now, God be thanked of his grace,
Make their fiftieth anniversary and walk alone.’

The officer in charge of the infirmary in a religious house.


dwild

enm-noun

dwild (plural dwild or dwilde or dwilden)

dwild (plural)
dwilde (plural)
dwilden (plural)

From Old English dwild (“error, heresy”).

Nu wærð swa mycel dwyld on Cristen dom swa it næfre ær ne wæs.

Feole dwild wearen ge seogen and ge heord


clarré

He drinketh ipocras, clarree, and vernage
Of spyces hote, tencresen his corage; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Merchant's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1807-1808

He drinks mulled wine, claret, and strong white wine
With hot spices to increase his desire; …


bourder

cowardly and felonsly they slew sir Dynadan, whyche was a grete dammage, for he was a grete bourder and a passynge good knyght

1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:


rubible

[…] pleyen songes on a smal rubible […]

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Myllers Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


almesse

almesse (plural almesses or (early) almessen)

English: alms
Gullah: aa'ms

Scots: aumous

Yola: alomes

From Old English ælmesse, from Proto-West Germanic *alemōsinā, a borrowing from Vulgar Latin *alemosyna.

Anything given to relieve those in poverty or distress, any charitable gift or offering, alms.


abominacioun

English: abomination

Scots: abhomination

From Middle French abomination, from Late Latin abōminātiōnem, accusative of abōminātiō. Some forms are influenced by a purported but false relationship with Latin hominem.

(biblical) Idols; pagan religious material


hoom

a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Love Unfeigned" (as printed in Oxford Book of English Verse, 1900)

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


refut

Thou haven of refut.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


grame

English: grame

>? Yola: garr

From Old English grama, from Proto-Germanic *gramô.


trogh

English: trough

Scots: troch, trouch

From Old English troh, trog, from Proto-West Germanic *trog, from Proto-Germanic *trugaz.


noy

English: noy (obsolete)

Scots: noy (obsolete)

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman nui, reinforced through aphesis of anoy. Compare noyen.


riotour

English: rioter, riotor

Borrowed from Old French rioteor; equivalent to rioten + -our.

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Pardoner's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 692-693

‘Is it swich peril with him for to mete?’
‘Yea, God's arms,’ said this rioter,
‘Is it such peril to meet with him?’

A rioter; a person who participates in a riot.

A person who lives profligately or dissolutely.


sweigh

O firste moevyng cruel firmament,
With thy diurnal sweigh that crowdest ay [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Man of Law's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 295-296

O first moving, cruel firmament,
With thy daily motion that pushes ever …


prentishood

This joly prentys with his maister bood, / Til he were ny out of his prentishood


cardiacle

[...] But wel I woot, thou doost my herte to erme,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Words of the Host to the Physician and the Pardoner, The Canterbury Tales, line 312-313

That I almost have caught a cardiacle.
… But well I know thou makes mine heart to grieve so,
That I almost have caught a palpitation of the heart.


inobedience

for as bi inobedience of o man manye ben maad ſynneris .· ſo bi þe obedience of oon manye ſchulen be iuſt

c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.) (in Middle English), published c. 1410, Romayns 5:19, page 58r, column 2, lines 4–6; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:


aart

Alternative form of art (“(area of) knowledge”)


aungel

English: angel (see there for further descendants)

Scots: angel, aungel

From Anglo-Norman angle, from Latin angelus, from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos).

An angel; a heavenly messenger or deputy (usually Christian)

A fallen angel; an angel turned to the forces of evil.

A depiction or image of an angel or bearing an angel.

A coin made of gold with an image of an angel.

(rare, Late Middle English) The lowest rank of angels.


oul

And al with-oute, the mewe is peynted grene,
In which were peynted alle thise false foules,
As beth thise tidifs, tercelets, and oules, [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Squire's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 646-648

And on all the outside, the pen is painted green,
In which were painted all these false fowls,
Such as are these small birds, falcons, and owls, …


aftercast

Thus evere he pleith an aftercast
Of al that the schal seie or do

c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:


seete

English: seat


gretnesse

English: greatness

Scots: gretnes, gretenes, greitnes

Old English grēatnes; equivalent to greet + -nesse.


provynce

English: province
Tok Pisin: provins

Scots: province

From Old French province, from Latin provincia.

province, district (administrative division)

(ecclesiastical) An ecclesiastical province.


tigh

Alternative form of teye (“chest, enclosure”)


frend-rede

From Old English frēondrǣden (“friendship, conjugal love”).


putour

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parson's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, section 76, line 886

What say we also of pimps that live by the horrible sin of prostitution, and constrain women to yield them a certain rent of their bodily prostitution, yea, sometimes of his own wife or his child, as do these bawds?

What seye we eek of putours that liven by the horrible sinne of putrie, and constreyne wommen to yelden to hem a certeyn rente of hir bodily puterie, ye, somtyme of his owene wyf or his child; as doon this baudes?


secreness

O messager, fulfild of dronkenesse,
Strong is thy breeth, thy limes faltren ay,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Man of Law's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 771-773

O messenger, filled with drunkenness,
Strong is thy breath, thy limbs ever tremble,
And thou betray all secrets.


beringe

English: bearing


avowtrye

Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree
An erchedeken, a man of heigh degree,
That boldely dide execucioun
In punysshynge of fornicacioun,
Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye,
Of diffamacioun, and avowtrye,
Of chirche reves, and of testamentz,
Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz,

14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Friar’s Tale


myght

English: might

Scots: micht, maucht

From Old English miht, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz.


chere

English: cheer

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman chere 'face', from Late Latin cara (“face”), from Ancient Greek κᾰ́ρᾱ (kárā).

state of mind as indicated by facial expression


whyle

English: while

Scots: while

Yola: while

From Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō. The final vowel is generalised from the Old English oblique forms.


londe

late 14th c. Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales. General Prologue: 13-14.
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,

To distant shrines well known in distant lands.


batayle

English: battle

Scots: battle

Borrowed from Old French bataille, from Late Latin battālia.

An extended fight, war or armed contest; battling or warring.

A battle; a match between two rival armed forces.

Thenne kyng Arthur made redy his hooſt in x batails and Nero was redy in the felde afore the caſtel Tarabil with a grete hooſt / & he had x batails with many mo peple than Arthur had [...]

1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum x”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book II, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC, leaf 43, verso; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC, page 86, lines 28–31:

Then King Arthur made ready his host in 10 battles and Nero was ready in the field before the castle Tarabil with a great host / and he had 10 battles with many more people than Arthur had …

A company or band of soldiers; a portion of one's fighting force.

A fight or dispute between ideas or religious forces:

(rare) One's striving to eliminate or expunge malicious forces.

(rare) A strike or blow from malicious forces.


erl

English: earl

Scots: yerl, yarl (merged with Old Norse jarl)

Yola: earle

Inherited from Old English eorl, from Proto-West Germanic *erl, from Proto-Germanic *erlaz. Cognate to Old Swedish iærl, Old Danish ierl.

A great noble subordinate to a king or duke; a count or earl:

An early medieval Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norse magnate (subordinate to the king).

An earl; the English equivalent to a count under the king or (later) a duke.

(rare) A partner; one who accompanies another.


poure

The poure of this herbe is to bynde and to coule.

1551, Turner, William I., A New Herball, Wherein are Conteyned the Names of Herbes in Greke, Latin, Englijsh, Duch, Frenche, and in the Potecaries and Herbaries Latin (etc.), United Kingdom: Steven Mierdman:

The purpose of this herb is to bind and to cool.


Eestour

English: Easter
→ Chickasaw: Iista'

Scots: Easter

From Old English ēastre, from Proto-West Germanic *austrā, from Proto-Germanic *Austrǭ (name of the Germanic goddess of the dawn), from a suffixed form of Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- (“dawn”).


muche

English: much

Yola: mucha, muche, much

An apocopic form of muchel, from Old English myċel, miċel.


worthynesse

English: worthiness

Scots: worthynes, worthines


goom

Kynges & Erles Echon. Þes were; & many anoþer goom


aray

English: array


sowdanesse

This sowdanesse, whom I thus blame and warie,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Man of Law's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 372-373

This Sultaness, whom I thus blame and curse,
Privately had her council go their way.


tikilnesse

From tikel + -nesse. Compare English tickle (“changeable, capricious; insecure”).

cog

Flie fro the prese, and dwell with sothfastnesse; / Suffice unto thy Gode, though it be small, / For horde hath hate, and climbyng tikilnesse […]

a. 1401, Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “Gode Counsaile”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC:


gnof

Compare Saterland Frisian Knuf (“lump”).

Whilom ther was dwellyng in Oxenfoꝛd / A riche gnof that geſtes heeld to boꝛd

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Millerẏs Tale”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 42, recto, lines 3187-3188:

Once there was living in Oxford / A rich churl who took in guests as boarders.


courtepy

Ful threedbaare was his overeste courtepy


lodemanage

English: lodemanage


athamaunt

wryten in the table of athamaunt

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knyghtes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


cleve

English: cleve

Inherited from Old English clēofa, from Proto-Germanic *klebô.

(rare) An abode or home; where someone resides.


legist

1484, William Caxton (translator), Aesop’s Fables, “The Wulf whiche made a fart” in The Fables of Aesop as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, edited by Joseph Jacobs, London: David Nutt, 1889, Volume II, p. 162,
Item my fader was no legist ne never knewe the lawes, ne also man of Justyce, and to gyve sentence of a plee, I wold entremete me, and fayned my self grete Justycer, but I knewe neyther, a, ne, b,


ciclatoun

From Old French siglaton, (chiefly) Anglo-French cyclaton and Anglo-Latin cyclaton, from Arabic سِقِلّاطُون (siqillāṭūn).

His robe was of ciclatoun, / That coste many a Jane.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Ryme of Syr Thopas”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

A costly cloth, of uncertain material, used in the Middle Ages.


rerebrace

English: rerebrace (historical)


luffer

Alternative form of lovere (“friend, lover”)


wastel

English: wastel

Yola: palske, palsk (vulgar)

From Old French wastel, gastel (> French gâteau), from Late Latin wastellum, from Frankish *wastil, perhaps from Proto-Germanic *wistiz (“sustenance, food”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- (“to dwell, stay”). Cognate with Middle High German wastel (“a kind of bread”). Compare Old High German wist (“food”) and Old English wist (“food”).

cog

Of smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde / With rosted flesh, and milk, and wastel brede.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

Some small dogs she had, which she fed / With roasted meat, and milk, and wastel bread.


costrel

English: costrel

→ Middle Welsh: costrel

Welsh: costrel

Borrowed from Old French costerel, modification of costeret.

Any small container or means of storage for liquids; a costrel.


ancille

From Old French ancele, ancelle, from Latin ancilla.

Thee whom God ches to mooder for humblesse!
From his ancille he made the maistresse

14th c. Geoffrey Chaucer, An ABC (The Prayer of Our Lady)

Of hevene and erthe, oure bille up for to beede.


ipocras

He drinketh Ipocras, clarre, and vernage / Of spices hot, to encresen his corage...


floring

From Middle English floren (“to equip with a floor, to pave”), from Middle English flor (“floor, foundation”), Old English flōr (“floor, pavement, ground”).

Pro le floryng, dalbyng..et le parchettyng.

Extracts from the Account Rolls of the Abbey of Durham, 1457

Noe made a wyndow in his schippe..and housynge and cabans wiþ dyuers florynge. — Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden, 1387

This mapil, ook, & asshe endureth longe In floryng..This flooryng wul be blak & wynter warm. — Palladius, c1440

the floor of a room, building, or other structure


witewold

wittol

Likely from a blend of witen + cokewold.

Pseudo prophetes, false sodomytes, Quelmers of chyldren, with fornycatours, Wetewoldes that suffre syn in her syghtes, Auouterers, & abhominable auauntours Of syn ... These were the comons came thedyr that day Redy bowne in batayll Vertew to abyde.

A man who is obliging about his wife's infidelity; an acquiescent cuckold


walkirie

From Old English wælcyrġe, from Proto-Germanic *walakuzjǭ.


thurghfare

Chaucer

This world is but a thurghfare full of woe.


michery

She said him, that she wolde have
Upon the nightes michery


terremote

Borrowed from Old French terremote, terremoete, from Latin terraemotus (“earthquake”), from terra (“the earth”) + mōtus (“movement”).

he schok[…]As it a terremote were


sterre

English: star (see there for further descendants)

Scots: ster

Yola: starr, steor

Inherited from Old English steorra, from Proto-West Germanic *sterrō, from Proto-Germanic *sternǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr. Doublet of sterne.

I dar wel putte thee out of doute −− To make of thee as yet a sterre.

(Can we date this quote?), The Book of the Duchess:

I dare well put thee out of doubt -- To make of thee as yet a star.


poplexy

The goute lette hir no-thing for to daunce,
Napoplexye shente nat hir heed; [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 4030-4031

The gout not at all prevented her from dancing,
And apoplexy harmed not her head; …


polive

Ther may no man out of the place it dryve

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Squire's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 183-185

And cause why, for they can nat the craft.
No man there can drive it out of the place
Despite any contrivance of windlass or pulley;
And the reason why? Because they do not know the craft.


halwe

English: hallow

Scots: hallow

From Old English hālga (“holy man, saint”).

And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes / To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes.

Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, 13:14

And palmers to go seeking out strange strands, / To distant shrines well known in distant lands.


teyne

English: tain

a teyne of silver fyn

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Tale of the Chanons Yeman”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


excusement

For he is one and they be two
And two have more wit than one,
So thilke excusement was none

c. 1386–1390, John Gower, edited by Reinhold Pauli, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best Manuscripts, volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Bell and Daldy […], published 1857, →OCLC:


exametron

Probably borrowed from latin Latin hexameter.

And they ben vercifyed comenly
Of syxe fete, whiche men [clepe] exametron
In prose eke ben endyted many on
And in metre, many a sondry wyse
Lo, this ought ynough to suffyse

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Monkes Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio lxxxix, verso, column 2:

And they have been vercified beautifully in metres of six feet, which men call hexameter. In prose also many have been written, and in meter, many ways. Lo! this ought to be enough to suffice.


sicer

This Sampson never sicer drank ne wyn,
Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne shere,

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Monk's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3245-3248

For alle his strengthes in his heres were; [...]
This Sampson never drank alcoholic drinks nor wine,
Nor on his head came any razor or scissors,
By command of the divine messenger,
For all his powers were in his hair; …


sorwe

[…] ech of yow see others sorwes smerte.

Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde Book III, ll.950


receit

What shal this receit cost? Telleth me now.
Of this receit, farewel, it n'old not be.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:


nik

English: nick

Yola: lownnick


reve

English: reeve

From Old English rēfa, ġerēfa, from Proto-West Germanic *garāfijō. Doublet of greyve.

14thC, Geoffrey Chaucer, Prologue to the Reves Tale, 1915, The College Chaucer, page 94,
Ne at this tale I saugh no man hym greve, / But it were oonly Osewold the Reve;

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

A reeve or bailiff (a local official); an administrator.

An administrator of an estate or manor; a manager or steward.

(Christianity) A subordinate or deputy of God.


sluggardie

Withoute Slep of sluggardie

Ydelnesse is roten slogardye.

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Seconde Nonnes Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

the state of being a sluggard; sluggishness; sloth


routhe

Example in sentence: "If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe."


mountance

And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance of twelve good mile.

1357, John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville:

[...] ‘In al this world ther nis no creature,
That ete or dronke hath of this confiture
Noght but the mountance of a corn of whete,
That he ne shal his lyf anon forlete;’ [...]

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Pardoner's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 861-864

… ‘In all this world there is no creature,
That has eaten or drunk of this concoction
Only so much as the amount of a seed of wheat,
That he shall not immediately lose his life;’ …

[...] ‘For al thy waiting, blered is thyn yë
With oon of litel reputacioun,
Noght worth to thee, as in comparisoun,
The mountance of a gnat; so mote I thryve!

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Manciple's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 252-256

… For all thy watching, thou hast been tricked
By one of little reputation,
Not worth, compared to thee,
The value of a gnat; as I may thrive!
For on thy bed I saw him copulate with thy wife.

For on thy bed thy wyf I saugh him swyve.’


lussheburgh

God wot, no Lussheburghes payen ye.

A spurious coin of light weight imported into England from Luxembourg (then called Lussheburgh).


pament

And in here faders blode þe[i] made hem daunce / Vppon þe pament god ȝeue hem meschaunce

c. 1410, Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Franklin's Tale" in The Canterbury Tales, copied in MS Landsdowne 851. Republished in 1808-1879, Frederick James Furnivall (ed.), The Landsdowne MS of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, London: The Chaucer Society. p. 518, l. 1371-1372

And they made them dance in their father's blood / on the pavement--God give them mischance!

Pavement: the hardened surface laid on top of the ground as in a street or the ground floor of a building.


slo

English: sloe

Scots: slae

From Old English slā, slāh, from Proto-West Germanic *slaihā, from Proto-Germanic *slaihǭ.


savement

English: savement (obsolete)

From Old French sauvement. Equivalent to sauf + -ment.

salvation, saving (either worldly or spiritual)


acustumaunce

English: accustomance


tolsey

English: tolsey


ercedeken

From Old English erce = archi- + deken (“a deacon”).


trevet

English: trivet

From Old English trefet and Old Northern French trevet, both ultimately from Latin tripēs, tripedis (“tripod”).


sanguisuge

English: sanguisuge (obsolete)


ribaudy

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Words of the Host to the Physician and the Pardoner, The Canterbury Tales, line 323-324

‘Nay! lat him telle us of no ribaudye;’ [...]
But right away these gentlefolk began to cry,
‘Nay! let him tell us of no ribaldry;’ …

But right anon thise gentils gonne to crye,


gaytre

A day or two, ye ſhul haue digeſtyues / Of wormes, or ye take your laxatyues, / [...] Of catapuce, or of gaytres beris

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Tale of the Nonnes Preest”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio xcv, recto, lines 195–196, 199:

For a day or two you shall have digestive medicine / made up of worms, before you take your laxatives / … Of catapuce, or of gaiter's berries

Some kind of berried tree whose berries have a laxative effect; probably the dogwood or honeysuckle; possibly the buckthorn.


unconninge

late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Tale of Melibee, The Canterbury Tales, section 78, line 3064-3070

And when the day came that his adversaries should appear in his presence, / he spoke unto them very goodly, and said in this manner: / ‘Although it be so that of your pride and high presumption and folly, and of your negligence and ignorance, / you have misbehaved yourself and trespassed unto me; / yet forasmuch as I see and behold your great humility, / and that you are sorry and repentant of your guilts, / it constrains me to do you grace and mercy.’

And whan the day cam that hise adversaries sholde apperen in his presence, / he spak unto hem ful goodly, and seyde in this wyse: / ‘al-be-it so that of your pryde and presumpcioun and folie, and of your necligence and unconninge, / ye have misborn yow and trespassed un-to me; / yet, for as much as I see and biholde your grete humilitee, / and that ye been sory and repentant of your giltes, / it constreyneth me to doon yow grace and mercy.’


wysdom

…of moost holi lyuynge, and best taught and moost wyse of heuenly wysdom…

1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, page 37:


levesel

From Old English leaf (“leaf”) + sele (“room, hall”).

Chaucer:

Behind the mill, under a levesel.

a leafy shelter or seat; a place covered with foliage; an arbor


engendrure

Old French engendreüre, from engendrer (“to engender”).

So that the clerkes be nat with me wroth
I ſaye that they were maked for bothe
This is to ſeyn, for offyce and for ease
Of engendrure, there we nat god diſpleaſe

1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wyfe of Bathes Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, folio xxxvii, recto:

So that the clerks be not with me wrathful
I say that they [genitals] were made for both
This is to say, for duty and for ease
Of reproduction, that we not God displease


musard

→ English: musard

Borrowed from Middle French musard; equivalent to musen + -ard.

There muſe muſarde al the daye / Thou wakeſt nyght and daye foꝛ thought

c. 1360s (date written), Geffray Chaucer [i.e., Geoffrey Chaucer], “The Romaunt of the Rose”, in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London: […] Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], published 1542, →OCLC, folio clxv, recto, column 2, line 7562:

Now think all day, fool, / you're awake thinking night and day […]


kunnynge

And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”

1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:


calveren

From calver (“calves”) with pleonastic addition of the plural suffix -en; compare children, eyren, lambren.


lambren

From lamber (“lambs”) with pleonastic addition of the plural suffix -en; compare calveren, children, eyren.


pilwe

English: pillow
→ Maori: pera

Scots: pillae

From Old English pyle, pylu, pylwe, from Proto-West Germanic *pulwī, from Latin pulvīnus.

To visite this Damyan goth May
And subtilly this lettre doun she threste
Vnder his pilwe.

1395, Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales:

A soft stuffed bag; a cushion or pillow.