Middle English Dictionary Entry
gleu n.
Entry Info
| Forms | gleu n. Also glewe, gleuwe, glewȝ, gliu, glowe, glu, gluwe. |
| Etymology | OF glu |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) Any of various prepared substances used for sticking or binding things together; glue; thik as ~, tough as ~; ~ pot a utensil for melting glue; (b) fig. ~ of love, ~ of charite, love's binding power; (c) ~ of parties, ~ of wateres, natural moisture or water as a binding element.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3603 : Sche tok him thanne a maner glu..of so gret vertu That where a man it wolde caste It scholde binde anon so faste That noman mihte it don aweie.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)190a/b : Cleye of þat Ilonde is tough as glewe [L tenax et glutinosa].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)135/14 : Þe boonys ben ioyned togidere, as it were two bordis weren ioyned togidere with cole or with glu [vr. glewȝ; L glutino].
- (1426-7) Rec.St.Mary at Hill63 : For the sepulcre for diuers naylis & wyres & glu.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1232 : He sette a deppe caudron of bras; A manere of glowe he dyde thare-inne, To halden all that com thare inne.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)250/798 : Seth in watir the shauynge of glouers leþer till it be thik as glyw.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)96/2 : Take þe fleschynge þat men schawyn of þe schepys-skynnys and of netis-skynnis, and sethe hem so longe in watir, till þat þei ben as thikke as glew or as brydlym.
- (1456-7) Acc.Tintinhull in Som.RS 4187 : Pro tribus pellibus..emptis pro aliis libris ecclesie cooperiendis..in gluwe ad idem opus.
- (1475) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1597 : Tymbre, borde, waynescotte glewe, naylez.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)160 : A Glew pott: glutinarium.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)246/12 : Þe yefþe of wysdom..arereþ zuo þane gost of man þet he him ioineþ to god be a glu of loue, zuo þet he is al on mid god.
- c1390 ?Hilton Qui Habitat (Vrn)76/4 : Þei..are so fast festned to-gedere now þorw stinkinde glu of flescli loue.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.Deut.(Cld E.2)10.15 : The Lord was glued, that is, was ioyned to hem with the glu of charite bi his pure liberalte.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)89a/b : Þe furþe moisture byndiþ and continueþ alle þe membres togederes and comeþ of moisture spermatik, and þis hatte glutinum, glew of parties [L glutinum partium].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)162a/b : Þe erþe is..noȝt abidyng to gedres but by glewe of watres [L aque glutino].
1b.
(a) Glue obtained from the sounds or air bladders of fish; fish-glue, isinglass; ~ of fish(es, fish ~; (b) any of various viscous medicinal preparations made from vegetable matter; (c) solder; souding ~; (d) a size used in painting; (e) ~ of gold, a preparation for fastening gold leaf.
Associated quotations
a
- (1225) Close R.Tower 222 : L. libras de glu de pisce qui vocatur Huse ad balistas nostras faciendas.
- 1348 *Acc.Exch.K.R.470/18.m.10 [OD col.] : Pro C. Soundes emptis pro glu ad Carpent[arios] inde faciend[o]. xviij d.
- (1411) Fabric R.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.15182 : [It. paid to Rob. Couper for sounds to making of] glew [to the same counter].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)108b/a : Part of it glew of fisshez als mych as suffiseþ to gadre hem be þer made emplastre.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)142b/b : Auicen praiseþ glewe of fish [*Ch.(2): fisshe glewe; L gluten piscium].
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)100b/a : Anoynt þi hand or a lether with som visc, i. glwe [*Ch.(2): lyme; L visco] as is made of cost.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)134b/b : Þe vnkyndely heeres & þat ben crokede inwarde be ladde to kyndely heres..wiþ glewe of mastyk, of frankensence, of aloe [etc.]..dissoluede with þe white of a neye.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)175b/b : A stoppynge medecyne..letteþ þe passynge of materes, as is mylne duste, almandes, glewe [L glutinum], and þe kynde of gummes.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)180b/b : A medecyne þat restreynes blode..mastik, rosyn, glewes [L glutina], amydoun, mylne duste.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)187a/b : Glewe is in many maners; it is knowen hote & drye in þe firste degree wiþ a fastenynge to gidre.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.41.7 : Coumforten shal the metal smyth..seiende to the glyu [WB(2): glu; L glutino], It is good.
- (1454) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 496 : For sawdyng glew to crosse, iij d.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)310b/b : Atramentum haþ þat name for it is blak..peyntours medleþ glew [L gluten] and water and doþ þer to and makeþ it to schyne þe more bright, and some powneþ coles of olde woode wiþ glew [L gultino] and doþ þerto.
- (c1455) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 497 : For vernaysche..for glew and diverse colers for the loffte.
e
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)177a/b : Borax is glew of golde..it is consolidatif.
2.
Birdlime; fig. a snare.
Associated quotations
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)94/23 : Þai maden engynes of glew and of nettes.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.223 : 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 [vr. gleu].
- ?a1425 Alphita (Sln 284)192 : Est et alius uiscus quo aves capiuntur, qui de omni uisco per decoctionem potest fiere, g. et an. glyu.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)200 : Glu, of festynge: Viscus.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)109 : The birde..flieth so ofte abowte the glewe that he lesyth his feddris.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)4571 : O, euery prince or kyng moot ben eschu, In al maneere, of þi [Avarice's] lym and þi glu.
3.
Mineral pitch, bitumen.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.6.14 : Make to þe ane ark..& withinne & withoute þou schalt dyȝten it with glew [WB(2): pitche; L bitumine].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.97 : Babylon..Þe walles were i-made of brend tile and of glewe [L bitumine] in stede of morter.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)155b/a : Þis place is y-clepid lacus asfalti, þe place of glewe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)158a/a : Whan a shippe..smyteþ on a grounde þat hath moche glew, slyme, and wose [L in fundum multum bituminosum et limosum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)176a/b : Þe walles was of brode tiellen temperede with gleuwe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)197b/a : De bitumine. Gluwe is slymy glew of þe erþe and gleymyng, and gendryng namelich in marys place.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)10a/a : Bitumentar: cley or glew.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2315 : Glew, tar & picch and oyle incendiary, And sulphour herwithal to brenne engyne..Fil vp the wal with hem by roof & grounde.
4.
A natural gum or resinous juice.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)223b/a : Þer is a maner yvy, and dew falleþ on þe leues þerof & wexiþ gleymy and torneþ to glu [L ladanum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)241b/b : Oonliche of þis tree [the Damascus plum] droppeth and comeþ glewe and fast gomme [L gummi glutinosum et compactum].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)40aa : Whan Noe was entrid, he shitte the dore fast withoutforth and lymed it with glewe.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)39ba : Make to the an arcke..and lyme it with cleye and pitch within and without, that is to wete with glewe whiche is so feruente that the tymbre may not be losed.
Note: Additional quotes, sense 3.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Dc.45 Artist.Recipes (Dc 45) 147/20 : To make glw for bokys. Take þe sowndes of stokfysche, [etc.].
Note: New spelling.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. glue.