Middle English Dictionary Entry
clō(ve n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | clō(ve n.(2) Also clow(e, clawe. Pl. clōves, clowes, cloys, clawes, klewes. |
| Etymology | OF clo (clou, clau) de girofle (gilofre). The ME stem clōv- for clō- probably developed in the plural. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The dried flower buds of a tree belonging to the Myrtaceae family, the spice cloves Syzygium aromaticum; -- usu.pl.
Associated quotations
- (1326) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9915 : In j quarteroun de clowes.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.632 : Gingiuer and galingale, Clowes.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5219/8 : Clowes en confyt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)229b/a : Clowes hatte Gariophili and beþ perfyt fruyt wiþ scharp sauour.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.49 : Powdour of clowes.
- (1401-2) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.81208 : In ij unc. cloys empt.
- (1402-3) Mem.Ripon in Sur.Soc.115212 : Clowes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187a/b : Garifiolo, clowes, is a swete smellynge spice, hote and drye in þe þridde degree and confortynge.
- (1432-3) in Rec.B.Nottingham 2134 : Pro dimidia libra clawes, xviij d.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)120/26 : Take an ownce of clouwys.
- (1471) Paston (Gairdner)5.119 : A li. of peppyr, clowys.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.30 : Take crust of brede and clowe in fere.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)25 : Hole cloves, mace, [etc.].
- a1500(a1451) Commodities Eng.(LdMisc 593)553 : 3 Clowys.
- a1500 Platearius CInstans (Cmb Ee.1.13)4/16 : To him þat beth inurschid in delikat metis .., put .ii. dragmes of aloes all nyȝth in wyne & .ii. dragmes of klewes and þe morowtid let hym drynke þe wyne wyth water of rosis.
2.
clove (of) gilofre, gilofre ~: (a) clove; (b) a clove given as a token payment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)100a : Þe þreo hali men..ne makeden neauer strengðe of gingiure..ne of clowes de gilofre [Nero: clou de gilofre; a1400 Recl.: clowes gilofre].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1952 : The licorys and the cetewale And many a clowe gylofre.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1368 : Ther was eke wexyng many a spice, As clowe-gelofre and lycorice.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)33/2 : Summe destyllen clowes of gylofre.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)176/14 : Many trees þat beren clowe gylofres.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)66/16 : Spices þat are hate: Clowes de golofre, nuutmugg, [etc.].
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)586/6 : Garriofila: glowgelofre.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)29/9 : For watir aromatyk. Take notemuge..clowe-gillofir..canell..make powdir and do it in watir of rosys.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.26 : With cloves of gelofer hit broch þou shalle.
b
- (a1460) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.p.lvii : A place called Dokettis..conteyning ccc acres of pasture..xij d. & gelofre clove of rent.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)117/20 : Yeldyng therof yerely to hym and to his heires j clowe gelofre at Estere.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)449/15 : Yeldyng..to his heires one clowe of gelofre at Estir.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 65/36 : Þese bien þe proporciouns: to .iij. pound of þy pot sugre put..an half vnce of notemuges schredid..and half an vnce of clowys ykyt in smale peces aforn.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.29 : Make alyoure of crust of brede..Caste powdur of gynger and clawes þer to.
Note: Additional quots. for sense 1.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. (See, for example, the form glow in c1450 quot. in sense 2.(a).)--notes per MLL