Herbert Coleridge

Name: A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language
Author: Herbert Coleridge

A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

Summary

“A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language”, is a work by Herbert Coleridge. It explores elements such as Wright, verb and Semi-Saxon.

Quotes from A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language (Herbert Coleridge)

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Obsolete words are of course entered as they are spelt in the passage whence they are taken, a rule which applies as much to different forms of the same word, as to different words. As to the etymological matter, nothing further as a general rule has been attempted than to indicate the nearest cognate, or cognates, of the particular word; but it has not been thought necessary, or desirable, to load the Glossary with illustrations of this nature in very simple cases. I have to thank Hensleigh Wedgwood, Esq., for many kind and valuable suggestions in this part of my work. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ As, however, a mere index verborum would but inadequately fulfil its object, a certain amount of explanatory and etymological matter has been added, which it is hoped may render the work more generally interesting and useful than could otherwise have been the case. It is only proper to add that English literature, as distinguished from Semi-Saxon, is assumed to commence about the middle of the 13th century. ”

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Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Alys. 2484; ‘into randon.’ Cok. 130. AS. randún. Probably from the ON. rönd. Germ. rant, the border or edge of a thing. In Provençal we have the phrase ‘a randa,’ on the edge or border, hence close or pressing. From this comes the Fr. verb, ‘randir,’ to approach, rush towards a thing, and ‘randon,’ lit. rushing, and generally ‘haste, violence.’ See Burguy’s Grammaire, vol. ii. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ The following pieces will be printed in the second part of the Philological Society’s Transactions for 1858, and are therefore included in the Glossary. I am indebted to the kindness of my friend and colleague, Mr Furnivall, for the loan of his transcripts. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ In Wright’s Vocabb., p. 254, among the Nomina Piscium Marinorum we find the entries ‘Hec solia, a sole,’ and ‘Hec testa, a schylle;’ showing clearly that the ‘schylle’ was not the same as the sole, and that it was some sort of flatfish, probably the plaice
Scion, sb. == stem, stock. Cok. 72. Fr. cion
Sclavyne, sb. == a palmer’s robe. K. Horn, 1086. It is given as the translation of ‘Sarabarda’ in Wright’s Vocabb. p. 259
Scoff, sb. Alys. 667
Scomfit, sb. == discomfiture. Alys. 959
Scoppe, sb. == a leap, skip. Alys. 5777. Swed. skutta, to leap
Score, sb. RG. 20, 519
Scorn, v. a. Ps. ii. 4. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Streon, sb. == the knot in the yolk of an egg, the point where generation commences. Fr. Sci. 6. AS. streon
Stride, v. n. Wright’s L. P. p. 111
—— sb. Ritson’s AS. viii. 32
Strie. See Straw
Strife, sb. RG. 408, 567
Strike, v. n. == go on, flow. Wright’s L. P. p. 44. AS. strican. See Laȝamon, i. 171, 397, and the Legend of St Katherine (Abbotsford Club) , vv. 2514, 733, for exx. of this sense in Semi-Saxon
—— v. a. == strike sail. K. Horn, 1043
String, v. a. == pierce. Cf. our phrase, ‘string papers together,’ i. e. pierce them, and then unite them by a string. Body and Soul, 207. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Political Songs, temp. Hen. III. and Edw. I. Edited by Mr Wright, for the Camden Society. (By the Rev. W. H. Herford.)
Ritson’s Ancient Songs, Class I. Most of these songs, however, are contained in the Specimens of Lyric Poetry, temp. Ed. I., and are quoted from that collection. (By Mr Harrison.)
Religious Songs, printed at the end of the Percy Society’s edition of the Owl and Nightingale. (By Mr H. Coleridge.)
Dialogue between the Soul and Body. In the Appendix to Mapes’s Poems, edited by Mr Wright, for the Camden Society, p. 334. (By the Rev. J. Eastwood.) ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ In Body and Soul, 123, ‘houue’ seems to mean ‘covering’ generally
Hove, v. n. == remain, stop, or hover. Fragm. Sci. 216. RG. 547, 172
—— == float? 368 β See the Prompt. Parv. s. v. hovyn
Hoventinge, == encircling? (as a haven does ships) . O. and N. 999. Probably another form of ‘hovening’ or ‘havening,’ a derivative of ‘haven’ (cf. spene, spend; lene, lend) . See Dähnert’s Lexicon. s. v. havenung
Hoving, sb. == delay, remaining [hevyng] . Wright’s L. P. p. 36
How, adv. [hou] . RG. 367; [hu] . O. and N. 728
How, sb. == hue, cry. Alys. 5306
Howe, v. n. == remove, go away. Wright’s L. P. p. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Way, sb. == road. RG. 7, 391; ‘to fly [Pg 95] his way.’ O. and N. 308. ‘Do way,’ an expression like our ‘Get along with you.’ Alys. 7646; pl. ‘weyre.’ Body and Soul, 63
Way, sb. == mass? Ritson’s AS. viii. 31. AS. wæcg
Wayle, sb. == a girl. Wright’s L. P. p. 38. AS. wylen
Waynoun, a proper name? Wright’s L. P. p. 47
Wayte, sb. See Wait
Wayteglede, == watch-the-fire, i. e. one who sits in the chimney corner, poking over the fire? Wright’s L. P. p. 47. Cf. the Norse phrase Kólbitr; and see the Introduction to Dasent’s Popular Tales from the Norse, pp. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Burguy’s Grammaire de la Langue d’Oïl. 3 vols. 8vo. Berlin, 1856. The third volume contains an excellent Glossary.
Cotgrave’s French and English Dictionary, by Howell. 1650.
Egilsson’s Lexicon Poeticum Antiquæ Linguæ Septemtrionalis. Hafniæ, 1854-1859. One part is still wanting to complete the work.
Halliwell’s Provincial and Archaic Dictionary. 2 vols. 8vo. 1855.
Kilian’s Lexicon Teutonicum. Ed. Hasselt. 2 vols. 4to. 1777.
Laȝamon’s Brut. Ed. Sir F. Madden. 3 vols. 8vo. 1847. (Cited by volume and page.)
The Ormulum. Ed. White. 2 vols. 8vo. 1852. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Life, sb. RG. 301, 376; gen. abs. ‘lives’ == alive. HD. 1307. O. and N. 1632
—— == position in life. Pol. S. 195
Liflode, sb. == sustenance in life. RG. 41, 404. AS. lif-láde, from lád, a way
Lift, sb. == air. Fragm. Sci. 204; sky, 200 β, AS. lyft
Light, sb. RG. 379, 380
—— v. a. == enlighten. Ps. xxxiii. 6
—— == kindle. HD. 585
Light, adj. == active. RG. 452
Light, v. n. == alight. Cok. 128; part. ‘liht.’ Wright’s L. P. p. 30
Lightly, == easily [liȝtliche] . RG. 515; actively [lyȝtlyche] . RG. 377
Lightness, sb. == light. Wright’s L. P. p. 96. Ps. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Body and Soul, 15. Lat. palla
Pall, v. n. == grow pale. Rel. Ant. ii. 211
Pallion, sb. == pall. 248 B.
Palmer, sb. Alys. 4981
Palter, == bough. Ps. lxxix. 12; s. q. if ‘paltres’ be not == ‘palm-trees.’ Lat. palmites. See the V. L.
Pan, sb. == dish. Alys. 4939. AS. panne
Pan, sb. See Penny
Pannier, sb. HD. 760
Pans, sb. == furs. Alys. 1572. Fr. pane
Pans, sb. == pence. See Penny
Panter, sb. == panterer. RG. 187; [pantrer] . RG. 438. Fr. panetier
Panther, sb. Alys. 6352
Pap, sb. == woman’s teat. HD. 2132. Ps. xxi. 10. Ital. poppa. Lat. papilla
[Pg 61]
Papejay, sb. == parrot. Wright’s L. P. p. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Mynde, adj. == merciful, kind. Wright’s L. P. p. 82. The word occurs in the Manuel d. Pecches, v. 727,
‘And y am euere so mynde
For to pray for al mankynde.’
AS. myn
Myrrh, sb. Wright’s L. P. p. 96. Body and Soul, 118
Mysel, sb. == leper. RG. 435. Fr. mesel. Lat. misellus
N.
Nail, sb. == clavus. HD. 712. AS. nægel
—— == unguis. K. Horn, 238
—— v. a. Wright’s L. P. p. 84. part. ‘ynailed.’ 93 β
Naked, adj. RG. 458, 557. AS. nacod. This word is a participle of a verb, of which the root is nag (cf. ON. gnaga) , meaning to gnaw, strip off bark or covering from anything
Nakedhed, sb. Alys. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Ritson’s AS. viii. 23
—— == give way? (of a ship) K. Horn, 1461. Another form of ‘flinch.’ AS. blinnan
Bleo, sb. == hue, complexion. O. and N. 152. Wright’s L. P. p. 35. AS. bleo
Bless, v. a. RG. 406
Blessing, sb. RG. 421
Blete, adj. == bleak? O. and N. 616
Blete, sb. See Bled
Blike, v. n. == shine. Wright’s L. P. p. 52 AS. blícan
Blinch. See Blench
Blind, adj. RG. 376, 407
—— v. n. == become blind. Rel. Ant, ii. p. 211
Blink, sb. ‘to make blinks,’ == deride a person. HD. 307. See Blench, sb.
Blin, v. n. == cease. RG. 566. pret. ‘blenyte.’ RG. 338. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Prick, v. n. hasten. RG. 459
—— v. a. == spur, pierce (as a horse) . RG. 553. AS. priccian
—— == adorn. Body and Soul, 12. ON. prýda, to adorn
Pricker, sb. == rider. Pol. S. 150
Pride, sb. RG. 376. AS. prýt
Priest, sb. 364 B.; [prost] . O. and N. 733
Priesthood, sb. 1032 B.
Priestless, adj. RG. 544
Prime, sb. == the first hour of prayer, or 6 A. M. 219 B. Ritson’s AS. viii. 196
Primerole, sb. == primrose. Wright’s L. P. p. 26
Prince, sb. RG. 367, 402. In Alys. 4727 Weber suggests that ‘prynces’ is a mistake for ‘traitors,’ but may it not be another form of ‘prenches’ == stratagems, tricks? ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Dester, ‘in dester’ == on the right hand. A steed led by the squire ‘in dester’ was the ‘destrier’ or ‘dextrarius,’ or war-horse. Body and Soul, 18. See Roq. s. v. Destrier
Destining, sb. == destiny. Alys. 6867
Destroy, v. a. part, ‘destrud.’ RG. 372. pret. ‘destrude.’ RG. 376
Destroying, sb. == destruction. Alys. 2888
Destuted, == destitute, wanting. Alys. 2199
Deus! an interj. == O God! hence our ‘deuce.’ HD. 2096, 2114. Fr. deus
Deus, adj. == sweet. HD. 1312. Fr. doux
Deutyraun, sb. == some monstrous animal. Alys. 5416
Devil, sb. RG. 411; [del] . Wright’s L. P. p. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Will, v. aux. pres. 1 s. ‘wole.’ 39 B.; 2 s. ‘wolt.’ 40 B.; ‘wlt.’ O. and N. 499; 3 s. ‘wule.’ O. and N. 1360; ‘wile.’ O. and N. 1358; pret. 3 s. ‘wolde.’ 17 β; 2 s. ‘woldest.’ 35 B. ‘Will’ is constantly used with the infin. of the verb to form an imperative, as ‘nil þou niþe’ == strive not. Ps. xxxvi. 8, and cf. Ps. lxxiv. 5, 6
Willesful, == wilful, q. v.
Willing, sb. Rel. Ant. ii. 212
Wilne, v. n. == wish. RG. 217. AS. wilnian
—— v. a. == covet, desire. RG. 46; part. ‘y-wilned.’ RG. 309
Wimple, sb. Marg. 47. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Tromcheri, sb. == trumpery? Rel. Ant. ii. p. 176. Fr. troncer, to break into small pieces. Cf. Gawin Douglas’s ‘trumpis,’ fragments, which is probably the origin of the modern form
Trome, sb. == a company. HD. 8. AS. truma
Trone. See Throne
Tronn (sic in MS.) , sb. == a steelyard. Rel. Ant. ii. p. 176
Trotevale, sb. == trifling, joke. Body and Soul, 146. Lat. titivillitia
Troth, sb. == betrothal. K. Horn, 694
Trouble, adj. == troubled, murky. Alys. 4709
Troué, sb. == hole. Alys. 7465. Fr. trou
Trough. See Tree
Trow, v. a. == believe. RG. 110
Trowe, sb. == trust, belief. Wright’s L. P. p. 100. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Chime, sb. (of bells) . Alys. 1852. Dan. kime
Chin, sb. 522 β
Chinche, adj. == niggardly. HD. 1763. Fr. chice == avarice
Chirchegong, == churchgoing. RG. 380. Cf. ‘idelgong’
Chirm, sb. == chirping and screaming of birds. O. and N. 305. AS. cyrm
Chirurgeon, sb. RG. 566
Chivalry, sb. == prowess. RG. 413
Chivauché, sb. == an expedition, a body of men. Ritson’s AS. viii. 141. Fr. chevauchée, from cheval.
Choice, sb. RG. 111
Chokering, sb. == a low chattering. O. and N. 504
Cholle, == shall. RG. 379, in the compound form ‘ycholle’
Choose, v. a. RG. 400. pret. ‘ches.’ Marg. 2. part, ‘chis.’ Alys. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ RG. 497 == ‘vor it ne ssolde amounti noȝt,’ == because it would amount to or avail nought. So the prep. is omitted in Alys. 6020
‘That amounted fyve hundred thousand
Knyghtis to armes, so Y fynde’
Amour, sb. == lover. Alys. 951
—— == love. Alys. 4573
Amty, == empty, RG. 17
Amye, sb. == friend. Alys. 1834. Fr. ami.
An, indef. art. == before a cons. RG. 537, ‘an stounde.’ So also RG. 261
—— == and. q. v.
—— == on, ‘an urthe’ 174 B. ‘an honde’ == on hand. 71 B. This last phrase seems to have dropped the meaning of ‘soon,’ ‘now,’ which it bears in Semi-Saxon. See Gloss. Rem. to Laȝamon, vol. iii. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Greme, v. a. == displease. Wright’s L. P. p. 36; part ‘i-gremet,’ O. and N. 931
—— v. n. == be displeased [grom] . O. and N. 870. AS. gremian
Grene, = desire? HD. 996. AS. geornan
[Pg 37]
Greneris, sb. == green branches, hence ‘greene-ry.’ Cok. 8
Grenne, sb. == grin; ‘thou list grenne,’ == thou liest a-grin or grinning. Body and Soul, 56
Gressop. Grasshopper. q. v.
Grete, sb. == weeping. Ps. ci. 10
Grey, adj. RG. 440, 498
—— sb. == gray fur. M. Ode, 183. Rel. Ant. ii. p. 192
Greyhound, sb. [grif-hound] . Alys. 5284
Greyn, sb. == edge. Alys. ”

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Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Thonkyng, sb. == thought. ‘heore thonkyng.’ Alys. 1660
Thore, v. n. == dare. 581 β. 2 s. pres. ‘therstou.’ 585 β; pret. ‘therste.’ 895 B. ON. þora
—— v. n. == need. 120 β. 3 s. pres. ‘tharf.’ O. and N. 190; ‘thar.’ Ritson’s AS. viii. 57. AS. þearfan. Germ. dürfen
Thore. See There
Thore, ‘on thore lay.’ Wright’s L. P. p. 95; probably, ‘on or according to the law.’ ‘Thore’ is the dat. sing. of the def. art. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Gromyl, sb. == the herb ‘gromwell,’ or Lithospermum officinale. Wright’s L. P. p. 27
Grone, sb. == a part of a woman’s dress. Wright’s L. P. p. 27. Fr. giron. Vid. Roq., and compare ‘gronet in grene’ in the Anturs of Arthur, at Tarne Wathelan. st. 47
Groom, sb. == boy or infant. HD. 790. AS. guma
Grope, v. a. == investigate. Alys. 6642
Grope, == feel. O. and N. 1494. AS. gropian
Grotes, sb. == grouts, small pieces. HD. 472. AS. grút
Grouer, sb. == grosvair, a kind of fur. Rel. Ant. ii. p. 217
Ground, sb. RG. 22
—— v. a. == bring to ground. RG. 372
—— == form, constitute. Ps. viii. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Alys. 2811
Cavenard, sb. == villain. HD. 2389. The form ‘caynard’ is found in Wright’s L. P. p. 110. Fr. caignard. Cotgr.
Cayre, v. a. == turn. part. ‘ycayred.’ Wright’s L. P. p. 37. AS. cerran. Germ. kehren
Caynard. See Cavenard
Cayser, sb. == emperor. HD. 1317. Wright’s L. P. p. 32
Cayvar, adj. == hollow? Alys. 6062
Cedar, sb. Ps. ciii. 16
Cel, sb. == seal. RG. 77
Celadoyne, sb. See Celandine
Celandine, sb. == the flower. Wright’s L. P. p. 26. Lat. chelidonium. It is the ‘ranunculus ficaria’ of botanists
Cell, sb. RG. 233
Cellar, sb. 287 B.
Cement, sb. Alys. 6177
Censer, sb. Marg. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Maveis, adj. == bad. RG. 537. Fr. mauvais
Maw, sb. == stomach. RG. 311; [mahe] . Rel. S. v. 171
Mawmet, sb. == idol. RG. 14. Probably the word originally meant a scare-crow, a bundle of clouts or rags, from the verb ‘maim.’ See Prof. Key’s remarks on this word, Phil. Soc. Trans. 1856, p. 245.
May, sb. == maiden. Wright’s L. P. p. 26, 28. AS. mæg.
May, vb. O. and N. 1622; [mowe] . RG. 454; [muhe] . O. and N. 1579; [muȝe] . O. and N. 62. 3 pl. pres. ‘mahen.’ Rel. S. iv. 74. pret. ‘myȝte.’ RG. 377
May, sb. (the month) [ma ?] Ritson’s AS. viii. 146; [me ?] Wright’s L. P. p. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Wright’s L. P. p. 26. Fr. gale. AS. gál
—— == chattering, noise. Alys. 2047; a song. Alys. 2548. AS. galan
Galegale, sb. == noise, twittering. O. and N. 256
Galek, sb. Cok. 103; a mistake for ‘garlek,’ which is the reading of MS. Harl. 913
Galingale, sb. == the sweet cyperus. Cok. 71. Fr. galangue
Gall, sb. Wright’s L. P. p. 99
Gallon, sb. K. Horn, 1155. Rel. S. vii. 37
Gallop, v. n. Alys. 461. Goth. ‘hlaupan.’ with ‘ga’ prefixed
Gallows, sb. HD. 1161
Gallowtree, sb. HD. 43
Gambison, sb. == a stuffed doublet, Alys. 5151. Fr. gambais. Goth. wamba. See Burguy, s. v. gambais
Game, sb. == sport. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ AS. hege-sugge. Bosworth on the authority of More gives ‘Sugga,’ a bird which feeds on figs. Lye explains ‘hege-sugge’ as ‘cicada,’ ‘vicetula’
Helde, sb. == loyalty. RG. 285. AS. held, heol (see Beowulf, 2459) . Germ. hold
—— == virtue? Wright’s L. P. p. 37
Helde, v. n. == incline, lean to. Wright’s L. P. p. 24. Ps. lxi. 4; AS. healdan, hyldan
[Pg 40]
Hele, v. n. == drink health to a person? Alys. 1048
Hele, v. a. == cover [hile] . HD. 2082; part, ‘y-heled.’ RG. 305, 457; ‘hole.’ Alys. 4203. AS. hélan
Heling [hiling] , sb. == cover. Ps. lx. 5
—— == lurking-place [heolyng] . Alys. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Herbert Coleridge, A Dictionary of the First or Oldest Words in the English Language

“ Creed of St Athan. 25; [mochel] . 305 B. AS. mycel
—— v. a. == magnify. Ps. xi. 5; xvii. 51; lxxi. 17
Mikelhed, sb. == greatness. Ps. cv. 45
Mikelnes, sb. Ps. xxxvi. 11
Milce, sb. == mercy. RG. 388. A substantive formed from ‘mild.’ AS. milts
Mild, adj. RG. 246, 374
Milderthede, sb. == mildness, mercy. Ps. lxxvii. 38. For milderhede, the ‘t’ inserted euphonically, as in ‘are-t-hede,’ honour
Mildheartness, sb. Ps. xci. 3
Mildly, adv. [milthely] . 52 β
Mildness, sb. Wright’s L. P. p. 73
Mile, sb. == a measure of distance. RG. 375. AS. míl
Mile, sb. == a girl? Wright’s L. P. p. 44. ”

Herbert Coleridge

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