Geoffrey Chaucer

“ Tarraye, for To arraye, to array, arrange, E 961.
Tart, adj. of sharp flavour, pungent, A 381.
Tartre, s. tartar, G 813; oille of Tartre, (probably) cream of tartar, or bitartrate of potassium, A 630. F. tartre, Low Lat. tartarum. 'An acid concrete salt, deposited from wines when perfectly fermented; ... when in the crude state, it is much used as a flux in the assaying of ores' ”

“ But see the note to E 260, where it is pointed out that the time of undern varied. It is allied to under, and means 'intervening period.' The original sense was probably mid-forenoon, i.e. at 9 a.m. (half-way between 6 and 12) , or mid-afternoon, i.e. 3 p.m. (half-way between noon and 6 p.m.) . Then, as prime shifted from 6 to 9 a.m., undern shifted from 9 to 10 or half-past ten. Not long ago, labourers spoke of their levenses or fourses, or their repasts at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Cf. Gothic undaurnimats, lit. 'undern-meat,' used to translate Gk. ἄριστον, Luke, xiv. 12. ”

“ Sal armoniak, s. sal ammoniac, G 798, 824. Lat. sal armeniacum, Armenian salt. 'Sal ammoniac, chloride of ammonium, a salt of a sharp, acrid taste; ... also called hydrochlorate or muriate of ammonia'; Webster. The word armoniac certainly answers to the Lat. Armeniacum in the old treatises. Yet the right spelling is, perhaps, ammoniac; ἀμμωνιακόν, τό, sal ammoniac, rock-salt, Dioscorides' ”

“ I take the verb sporen to mean 'to spur,' hence to push or thrust, as when a rider uses his spurs. Cf. A.S. sporu, heel, spurnan, to kick, spurn; also O. H. G. widar-sporōn, to kick against; Lithuan. spir-ti, to strike against anything; Icel. spora, to spurn against. ”

“ Unstraunge, adj. well-known, familiarly known, A. ii. 17. rubric. The unstrange stars are those which are represented upon the Rete of the Astrolabe. See Indeterminat.
Unswelle, v. decrease in fulness, become less full, T. iv. ”

“ Weyere, s. the 'weigher,' a translation of the Lat. equator, because it weighs equally the night and day; i.e. the days and nights, at the equinoxes, are equal; A. i. 17. 15.
Weyk, adj. weak, 7. 341; Weyke, dat. weak, poor, R. 225. Icel. veikr. ”

“ Solsticioun, s. the solstice, or point of the ecliptic most remote from the equator, A. i. 17. 6. Lat. solstitium.
Som, (sum) , indef. pron. some, A 640, B 1182; one, a certain man, G 922; one, 3. 305; another, 5. 476; som shrewe is, some one (at least) is wicked, G 995; Som ... som, one ... ”

“ Thee, v. thrive, prosper, R. 1067; never mot she thee, may she never prosper, 5. 569; mot he never thee, may he never prosper, T. ii. 670; lat him never thee, let him never prosper, B 4622, D 2207; thou shalt never thee, E 1388; he shal never thee, G 641; also moot I thee, as I may thrive, as I hope to prosper, 4. 267; B 2007, D 1215, E 1226; so moot I thee, D 361; as mote I thee, T. i. 341; so theech, for so thee ich, as I may thrive, as I hope to prosper, C 947, G 929 ”

“ Threpe, 1 pr. pl. (we) call, assert to be, G 826. 'Threap, v. n. to maintain or insist pertinaciously; to repeat or reiterate obstinately. A.S. þrēapian, to afflict, chide.' Atkinson's Cleveland Glossary. ”

“ Sovereyn, adj. supreme, very high, A 67; chief, B 3339, 4399, C 91, E 112; sovereign, D 1048; superior, A ii. 28. 24 (a technical term, applied to the western signs of the zodiac, as being superior to the 'obedient' eastern signs) ”

“ Vilanye, villainous action, deed of a churl, L. 1823; wrong, L. 2541; licentiousness, G 231; discourtesy, rudeness, C 740; T. v. 490; vileness, HF. 96; reproach, T. iv. 21; evil-doing, B 1681; villainy, disgrace, R. 1231; Villainy (personified) , R. 166, 977.
Vileinous, adj. evil, B 2693; Viláynous, villainous, R. 178.
Vileins, Vileyns, adj. villainous, L. 1824; D 1158, H 183; rude, D 1268; sinful, I 854, 914; evil, wicked, I 556, 627, 631, 652, 715, 802. Perhaps originally the gen. sing. of vilein, but certainly used by Chaucer as a simple adjective, as proved by the adverbial form below. ”

“ This is certainly the right word; in G 1171, read terved [not torned] , and in G 1274, read terve [not torne] . See my letter in the Athenaeum, Mar. 24, 1894. So in Havelok, 603, for tirneden read tirueden = tirveden, i.e. rolled back. In Allit. Poems, B. 630, for tyrne read tyrue = tirve, flay. In Gawain and the Grene Knight, 1921, for tyrnen read tyruen = tyruen ”

“ Straunge, adj. strange, foreign, A 13, 464, 2718; unwonted, 7. 202; difficult, hard to agree upon, F 1223; difficult, particular, A 3980; like a stranger, T. ii. 1660; unfriendly, estranged, R. 1065; distant, unbending, 5. 584; not well known, A. ii. 17. rub.; [a strange star is one that is not represented upon the Rete of the Astrolabe] ; pl. strange (men) , strangers, T. ii. ”

“ A particular time in the morning is here implied, either about 9 a.m., or somewhat later. As 9 a.m. is frequently called prime, perhaps we may take undern to mean about the middle of the forenoon (from 9 a.m. to 12) , i.e. ”

“ Icel. tittr, a tit, small bird; and cf. Eng. titmouse, titlark. Drayton, in his Polyolbion, bk. xiii, mentions a singing-bird which he calls a tydy. The tydy cannot be the wren, as Nares supposes, because Drayton names the wren at the same time. See the note.
Tikel, adj. unstable, A 3428. Cf. E. tickl-ish.
Tikelnesse, s. lack of steadiness, instability, 13. 3.
Tikled, pt. s. tickled, D 395.
Til (before a vowel) , prep. to, A 180, 1478, G 306; as a Northern word (before a consonant) , A 4110; Til and fra, to and fro (Northern) , A 4039. Icel. til. ”

“ Explained in Batman upon Bartholomè; cf. symphangle in Halliwell, which is probably an error for symphonye. O. F. cifonie, symphonie, 'une espèce ... de tambour percé dans le milieu comme un crible, et qu'on frappait des deux côtés avec des baguettes' ”

“ To-wonde, pt. s. subj. (?) might fly in pieces, might become broken, 4. 102; or pt. s. (with substitution of the weak for the strong form, as in abreyde) , flew in pieces, became broken. The latter is more likely. The form towond, flew in pieces, occurs in Sir Ferumbras, 2568 (see Stratmann) , and answers to an A.S. *tō-wand, pt. t. ”

“ Tryce, v. pull, drag away, B 3715. Cf. E. trice up (nautical term) ; Dan. tridse, Swed. trissa, a pulley, roller. See trisen in Stratmann, and trice (2) in my Etym. Dict.
Trye, adj. choice, excellent, B 2046. From F. trier, to choose, select.
Tryne compas, the threefold world, containing earth, sea, and heaven, G 45. Lat. trinus, threefold.
Tubbe, s. tub, A 3621; Tubbes, pl. A 3626.
Tuel, s. pipe, slender chimney, HF. 1649. O. F. tuel; Cotgrave has tuyau, a pipe. See Tuwel. ”

“ Style (1) , s. a stile, a means to get over a barrier by climbing, C 712, F 106. A.S. stigel.
Style (2) , s. style, mode of writing, E 18, 41; F 105. Lat. stilus.
Styves, pl. stews, D 1332. Cf. O. F. estuves, 'stews'; Cotgrave. See Stewe. ”

“ Turet, s. the eye in which the ring of the astrolabe turned, A. i. 2. 1. Cotgrave has 'Touret, the little ring by which a Hawkes lune, or leash, is fastened unto the Jesses.' See the note in Warton (Hist. E. P. ii. 315, ed. 1871) , which seems to make the word equivalent to a swivel. See also Torets.
Turment, s. torment, R. 274. See Torment.
Turmente, ger. to vex, L. 871; v. torment, L. 1165. See Tormente.
Turne, ger. to turn, A 2454; v. turn (in a lathe) , A 3928; Turnen, v. return, L. 2619; Turne, 3 imp. s. may he turn, HF. 1, 58; Turne we, let us turn, 7. 204; Turned, pp. turned, 3. ”

“ Cotgrave.
Ware, adj. aware, 3. 1030. (Perhaps read Carrenar, war.) See War.
Ware, s. wares (for sale) , merchandise, B 140, 1246; D 522. A.S. waru.
Ware, imp. pl. beware, B 4416; Ware, imp. pl. refl. beware, C 905, I 797. A.S. warian, to guard. See War him.
Warente, ger. to warrant, protect, C 338. See Waraunte.
Wariangles, pl. shrikes, butcher-birds, D 1408 (see note) . Speght notes that the word was in use, in his time, in Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Warien, ger. to curse, T. ii. 1619; Warie, 1 pr. s. T. v. 1378; B 372. A.S. wergian. ”

“ Zodiac, s. zodiac, A. pr. 70. An imaginary belt in the heavens, of the breadth of 12°, along the middle of which runs the ecliptic. The Astrolabe only showed the northern half of this belt; see note on p. ”

“ Wexing, pres. pt. waxing, A 2078; growing, R. 1367. A.S. weaxan, pt. t. wēox.
Wexede, pt. s. waxed, coated with wax, A. ii. 40. 18.
Wey, s. way, 1. 75; A 34, E 273; path, R. 1345; the sun's apparent daily path, A. ii. 30. 3; the sun's apparent annual orbit, A. i. 21. 31; Weye, way, A 791, B 385, G 1374; Weye, dat. A 467, 771, 1121; manner, wise, B 590, G 676; on his way, F 604; a furlong wey, a short time (lit. short distance) , E 516; go wey, go thy way, T. i. 574; do wey, do away (with them) , away! T. ii. 893; take away, A 3287; by the weye, by the way, B 1698, 1747 ”

“ Stande, pr. s. subj. may stand, happens to be, A. ii. 34. 2; pr. s. Stant, stands, is situate, A. ii. 29. 5; &c. See Stonde.
Stank, s. lake, pool, I 841. O. F. estanc; E. tank.
Stank, pt. s. B 3807. See Stinke.
Stant, stands; see Stonde.
Stapen, pp. advanced, B 4011 n, E 1514 n. A.S. stapan, pt. t. stōp; pp. stapen. (Read stapen, rather than stopen, in the text.) ”

“ Thapostle, the apostle, B 2596, 2824, D 49, 1881.
Thaqueintaunce, the acquaintance, T. v. 122.
Thar, pr. s. impers. (it) is necessary, is needful; thar ye, it is needful that ye, B 2258; thar thee, it is needful for thee, you need, or thou needst, B 2. p 3. 62 (see note) ”

“ Icel. vān, hope, expectation; hence, plenty; also, retreat, asylum, place of shelter or security. The oo in this word is long, from original Indo-germanic ē; cf. Goth. wēns, expectation; see Sievers, § 68. We must keep the word distinct from M.E. wonien, to dwell, to which it is unrelated. It is wrongly entered in Stratmann under wune; and is wrongly placed in the Century Dict. under won. See the notes to L. 2161 and T. iv. 1181; and, in particular, Zupitza's note to Guy of Warwick, l. 10329; p. 444.
Woost, Woot; see Wite.
Wopen, pp. of Wepe.
Worcher, s. worker, maker, 4. ”

“ O. F. trone.
Tropik, s. the turning-point, a name for the solstitial points, A. i. 17. 8, 39.
Tropos, s. a turning; but interpreted by Chaucer to mean 'agaynward,' i.e. backward, A. i. 17. 8. Gk. τρόπος, a turn. ”

“ Walked (for Walketh) , s. walking; in phr. go walked, for go a-walketh, gone a-walking, 3. 387; D 1778.
Walken, ger. to walk, roam, A 2309; to go, B 5. m 5. 9; Walke, v. T. v. 666; L. 979; Walketh, pr. s. L. 970; Walke, 2 pr. s. subj. thou mayst walk, B 784; Welk, 1 pt. s. walked, 5. 297; T. ii. 517; pt. s. ”

“ Sapience, wisdom, T. 1. 515; B 2184, D 1197, E 1481, G 101, 111; Wisdom, B 1662; Sapiences, pl. kinds of intelligence (see note) , G. 338.
Sarge, s. serge, A 2568.
Sarlynysh, error for Sarsinesshe, R. 1188 n. See note.
Sarpulers, s. pl. sacks made of coarse canvas, B 1. p 3. 53. See note; vol. ii. p. 422.
Sarsinesshe, adj. Saracenic, R. 1188. (See the French text.) If sarsinesshe can be taken as a sb., it may refer to sarsnet. ”

“ B 60, 115; wills, desires, HF. 662; 1. 167; desires (to have) , wishes for, T. ii. 396, iii. 311, 1262; desires (to) , 20. 7; wishes (to go) , will go, L. 1191; F 617; permits, H 28; Wole, will go, D 353; wol adoun, is about to set, I 72; Wol, 2 pr. pl. B 1641; Wol ye so, if you so wish it, E 2264; Wil ye, wish ye, F 378; Woln, pr. pl. will, wish (to have) , A 2121, 2122; Wollen, pr. pl. will, B 2561; Wole, pr. pl. will, B 468; Wolde, 1 pt. s. desired, 6. 48; should like, B 1637, E 638; Woldest, 2 pt. s. wouldst, 3. 561; Woldestow, for Woldest thou, if thou wouldst, L. 760 ”

“ Whyle, s. time, R. 1542; L. 2227; A 3299, B 370, 546; Whyl (for Whyle, before a vowel) , B 3528; worth the wh., worth while, T. v. 882; in the mene whyles, during the mean while, B 668. A.S. hwīl.
Whyl-er, adv. formerly, G 1328.
Whyles, gen. s. as adv.; the whyles, whilst, 3. 151; Whyls, while, G 1137, 1139.
Whylom, adv. once, formerly, once on a time, 4. 29; R. 10, 362; L. 432, 706, 1005; A 795, 859, 867, 932, B 134, 3266, 3557, 3917, 4012, 4175, C 463, E 64, 846. ”

“ F. phiale; Lat. phiala, a sort of saucer, Gk. φιάλη. Cotgrave has 'Phiole, f. a violl, or small glasse bottle.'
Violete, s. violet, R. 903, 1431; Violettes, pl. B 1. m 6. 6.
Virago, s. virago, cruel woman, B 359. Direct from Lat. uirago.
Virelayes, s. pl. ballads with a return of rime, F 948; L. 423 (see note) .
Virgine, s. virgin, 1. 4, 153.
Virginitee, s. virginity, B 1769, C 44.
Viritoot, s. brisk movement (see note) , A 3770.
Viritrate, s. hag, D 1582.
Viságe, s. visage, face, A 109, 628, E 693; 3. 895; 10 (heading) ; Visages, pl. faces, B 2. p 8. 26; T. v. 899. ”

“ Tercelets, pl. male birds of prey, 5. 659; male hawks, F 648. 'Tiercelet, m. the tassell, or male of any kind of hawke, so tearmed, because he is, commonly, a third part lesse then the female'; Cotgrave's French Dict. F. tiercelet.
Terciane, adj. tertian, B 4149.
Tere (tèèrə) , s. tear, B 3251, 3852, F 894; Teer, (for Tere, before a vowel) , E 1104; Teres, pl. 2. 10; 4. 8; 12. 9; A 1280, B 70, 3853.
Tere (tèrə) , v. tear, B 1326; scratch, R. 325; Torn, pp. L. 2103.
Terins, s. pl. tarins, siskins, R. 665. F. tarin.
Terme, s. set time, appointed time, T. v. 696, 1090; HF. 392; L. 2499, 2510 ”

“ Variant of Wreye, q. v. [It might be better to read wreye, and deye in l. 90.]
Wryen, v. turn aside, 3. 627; ger. to turn aside, H 262; Wrye, ger. to turn, go, T. ii. 906; Wryed, pt. s. bent, A 3283. A.S. wrigian.
Wryte, v. write, A 96, B 87; Wryteth, pr. s. B 77; Writ, pr. s. writeth, writes, T. i. 394; iv. 414; HF. 973, 1385; B 3516, 4313, D 709; Wryten, pr. pl. write, A 2814; Wroot, pt. s. 1. 59; L. 1354; B 725, 890, G 83; Wrōt, T. i. 655; Wrĭten, pt. pl. wrote, HF. 1504; T. v. 816; F 233; Wrĭte, 1 pt. s. subj. were to write, B 3843; Wrĭten, pp. written, 2. 43; A. ii. 44. 8 ”

“ Sis cink, i.e. six-five, a throw with two dice, being the highest throw with the exception of double sixes, B 125. See note.
Sisoures, pl. scissors, HF. 690.
Sit, pr. s. sits; see Sitte.
Site, s. situation, B 2. p 4. 10, m 7. 3; HF. 1114 (see note) ; A. ii. 17. 25; E 199. ”

“ Cotgrave.
Volatyl, s. as pl., fowls, B 1262.
Voltor, s. vulture, B 3. m 12. 29; Volturis, pl. T. i. 788.
Volúme, s. volume, D 681.
Voluntarie, adj. voluntary, B 5. p 3. 111.
Volupeer, s. night-cap, A 4303; Voluper, woman's cap, A 3241. The Catholicon Anglicum has: 'A volyper, caliend [r] um'; and Baret gives: 'a womans cap, hood, or bonet, calyptra, caliendrum.' Merely short for envoluper, i.e. 'wrapper'; see Envoluped. Godefroy gives: 'Envelopeur, s. m. enveloppe, couverture; 'Six queuvrechiefs [kerchiefs] , neuf et quatre envelopeurs a teste' [head-wrappers] : 1361, Arch. ”