Middle English Literature

Measures
Weight
ounce = 28 grams
pound = 16 ounces = 0.45 kilograms
stone = 14 pounds = 6.4 kilograms
Length
inch = 2.54 centimeters
foot = 12 inches = 30.5 centimeters
yard = 3 feet = 0.9 meters
ell = 45 inches = 1.1 meters

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276
Appendix
Area
acre = 0.4 sq. hectares
hectare = 2.5 acres
Grain volume
peck = 8.8 liters
bushel = 4 pecks = 35 liters
quarter = 8 bushels = 291 liters
Liquid volume
gill =
1
2
cup or 5 fluid ounces = 142 milliliters
pint = 4 gills = 0.57 liters
quart = 2 pints = 1.1 liters
gallon = 4 quarts = 4.5 liters
tun = 252 gallons = 1134 liters
Depth
fathom = 6 feet = 1.8 meters

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Glossary
277
Note: i/y, c/k interchangeable
A
abay see
bay
ac conj.
but, and
adighten, adyghtyn v.
adorn
adight, adyth p.
adorned
advoutri(e) see
avouteri(e)
after prep.
according to
agayn see
ayen
al conj.
even if, although
alday adv.
always, all the time
algate(s) adv.
entirely, continually,
nevertheless
Alkaron n.
Koran
almes(se) n. pl.
alms (almes-dede,
good deed)
als, also adv.
as, also, as well
and conj.
and, if
anon(e) adv.
at once, immediately
apeire, apaire v.
make worse,
impair, debase, deteriorate
assoile v.
absolve
atones adv.
at once
atte prep.
at the
avouteri(e), advoutri(e) n.
adultery
avoutrer, advoutrer n.
adulterer
ay adv.
always
ayen
, agayn adv., prep. again, back,
in reply, against
ayenward, agenward adv.
conversely, on the other hand,
back, back again
B
baar, bar v.
bore, carried
bay, abay n.
surrounding or
cornering an animal (at abay,
unable to escape)
be prep.
by
been, ben v.
be, been
behight p.
promised
benedicite(e) interj.
bless you
(an oath)
bet adj., adv.
better
biforn adv., prep., conj.
in front of,
before, superior to, prior
biheste n., v.
promise
bilyve, blyve adv.
quickly
binime v.
take away, deprive, take
Glossary

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278
Glossary
blithe v.
happy, eager
bo num.
both
bobbiden p.
struck with fists,
insulted
borde see
bourde
bot conj.
but
bourde, borde n., v.
game, story,
jest
brenne v.
burn
but if conj.
unless, if . . . not
C
can see
con
carp v.
talk
catel, cautel n.
property, wealth,
possession
certes adv.
certainly, indeed
chees(e), chese v., p.
choose, chose
cherl n.
churl, low-class person,
villain
clepe v.
call
clerc n.
learned man, scholar,
student, priest
cokewold n.
cuckold
componed, compouned p.
mixed
con, conne, cunne v.
can, know,
know how to, understand, have
the ability to
conseil n.
counsel, secret
corage n.
spirit, heart
crips adj.
curly
D
dan, daun n.
sir, master, lord
dangerous, daungerous adj.
overbearing, disdainful, haughty,
aloof
defend v.
defend, protect, forbid,
prohibit
degre(e) n.
social status
deme v.
judge
digne adj.
worthy, honorable
disese n.
discomfort, distress, disease
disport n.
pastime, recreation
dom, doom n.
judgment
Dom, Doom n.
Judgment,
Apocalypse
doute n.
doubt (out of doute,
doubtless, without doubt)
drede n.
doubt
dredeful adj.
frightening, fearful
dronklew adj., n.
drunk
dure(n) v.
continue, remain, extend
E
ech, echon pron., adj.
each, each
one
eek, eke adv., conj.
also
eer, her n.
hair
eft(e) adv.
again
eien, eighen, iyen n. pl.
eyes
elde n.
age
elles adv.
otherwise, else
endite v.
compose
enjoye, enjoin v.
enjoin
ensamples n. pl.
examples,
illustrative narratives
ensocied, ensosyyd ppl.
associated
or united (in authority)
erst, erest adv.
first
everich pron.
every, each
everichon, overychon pron.
each
one, every one
everydeel adv.
entirely, throughout
eye, iye, ye n.
eye
eyen, yen n. pl.
eyes
F
fain adv.
gladly
faitour n.
deceiver, false beggar

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Glossary
279
fay, fey n.
faith (by my fey, truly)
fele n., adj.
many
fil(l) p.
fell
folde n.
earth
fonge v.
seize, take, receive
forthy adv.
therefore
forwhy adv., conj.
because,
wherefore, therefore
fredom n.
not in servitude, noble,
act of generosity
free adj.
free, noble, generous
freke n.
man, person
fro prep.
from
ful adv.
very
fyn, fyne n.
end, conclusion
G
gan p.
began
geere, gere n.
equipment, utensils
gentil adj.
of noble birth,
courteous, polite, handsome
gin(ne), gryn(ne) n.
trap, scheme
gome n.
man
gossib, gossip n.
close friend,
confidant, sponsor at baptism
gost n.
spirit, soul
gret, greet, grete n., adj., adv.
great (gretter, gretteste)
grote n.
groat
gryn(ne) see
gin(ne)
H
han v.
have
harrow interj.
help! alas!
hat v.
has
hathel n.
man, knight, nobleman
hatte, heet, height, hight(e) v., p.,
ppl. call, called, named
heed see
hefd
heeng, heng v.
hung, hanged
hefd, hed, heed, heved n.
head
heigh adj.
high
height see
hatte
hem pron.
them
hende adj.
courteous, good-
looking, generous
hente v.
seize, take
her see
eer
her(e), hir(e) pron., adj.
their,
her
hest(e), heeste n.
command,
commandment, promise
her(e) see hir(e)
herberwed, (y-)harberwide v.
lodged
heved see
hefd
hyghte v., p.
wishes, looks forward
to; promised; was called
hir(e), her(e), hur pron, adj. 
their,
her
hit pron.
it
ho pron.
he, she, it, they, who
hom pron.
them
homely adj., adv.
simple, familiarly
hote(n), hoteth v.
command,
promise, call, name
hur see
hir(e)
I
ilk(e) pron., adj.
same, each, every,
very
(i-)now, ynogh, innoughe n.,
adj., adv. enough, abundant,
very much
incontynent adv.
immediately
inwit(t) n.
mind, reason, spirit,
will, conscience
iwysse, ywis adv.
indeed
iye see
eye
iyen see
eien

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280
Glossary
J
joyne v.
join, enjoin
K
kan see
con
keep, kep n.
heed (take keep, pay
attention)
ken(ne) see
con
kinde, kende n.
nature
knave n.
young man, servant,
commoner, rogue
kon see
con
koude v.
knew how to, could
kouth(e), kowthe v., adj.
know,
well known, famous
kunne see
con
kyndeliche adj., adv.
natural,
naturally, innately
L
lache v.
catch, seize, take, get
lasse adv.
less
leere, lere v.
learn
leesith see
lese
leeve, lef, leve v.
cease
leeve, leve adj.
dear
leeveful, leeful adj.
permitted, legal
lel(e) adj.
loyal, true, faithful
lemman n.
sweetheart, lover, mistress
lenger adv.
longer
lese n.
falsehood
lese v.
lose
lesing(e) ger.
lie
lest see
list
let, lett(e) v.
delay, hinder,
prevent, stop
leve, leeve adj.
dear, beloved
lever(e), levir adv.
rather
lewed, lewid adj.
uneducated,
ignorant, stupid
lewte n.
honesty, loyalty,
adherence to law, justice
liflod(e) n.
livelihood
liketh v.
pleases (him liketh, it
pleases him)
list, lest, lust n.
desire, pleasure,
lust
list(e), lest(e) v.
wishes, desires,
chooses
lite adj.
little
long(e) v.
belong, (hit longeth, it
is fitting)
lordynges n.
gentlemen, sirs
lorel n.
rogue, beggar, fool
losel n.
rogue, wastrel
lust see
list
lyghtly adv.
effortlessly
M
Machamete, Machomete,
Macomet n.
Muhammad
make n.
mate
maugre prep.
in spite of,
notwithstanding
maumetri(e) n.
idolatry
mede n.
gift, reward
medeful adj.
meritorious
mengid, mingid p.
mixed, joined
menging ger.
mixing, mixture
meschief n.
misfortune, trouble,
harm, plight
mete n.
food, meal
mete v.
dream
mikel see
muchel
mingid see
mengid
mo n., adj., adv.
more
mochel see
muchel
moot, moote, mooten v.
must,
may
morwe n.
morning, morrow

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Glossary
281
moste, mot v.
must
mowe v.
may
muchel, mochel, mikel n., adj.,
adv. much, greatly
N
namely adv.
especially, particularly,
that is