Middle English Dictionary Entry
pǒus(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pǒus(e n. Also pousse, pouce, pouz & pouns(e, pounce, (errors) ponnce, ponns & puls(e. |
| Etymology | OF pous, pulse & L pulsus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The rhythmical throbbing of the blood in the arteries, pulse; beating of the heart; pulsating of the strings of a harp; assaien ~, to feel the pulse; felen (tasten) ~, feel the pulse (of sb.); (b) one of the rhythmical throbs of the blood in the arteries; tasten pouses, to feel the pulse (of sb.); (c) a place on the body where a pulse can be felt; ~ box, ?a point where a pulse can be felt; ~ veine, veine of the ~, an artery; (d) vitality, energy; ~ of lif.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/b : Þe pulse [L pulsus] is a meuynge I-maad be openynge and closinge of þe herte and of þe veynes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27b/a : Olde men and wise chesiþ þe veynes of þe arme to assaie þe pulse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102b/b : A good phisician..sechiþ þe cause by siȝte, by hondlinge & gropinge, by vreyne & by pownce.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)334b/b : As þe puls of þe herte is in þe brest, so þe puls of þe strynges is in þe harpe.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)212/33 : If he be feble & his herte quake & his pous falle, þan it is folie for to lete him blood.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)221/7 : I tastide hir pous & it was wondir feble.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.66 : He..parceyued bi his pous he was in peril to deye.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)822 : His pouce es stille withouten styringes.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)58b/b : Þu shal knowe bi defaylyng pulse And by pale colour.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)154b/b : In sucche woundes þer fallen manye euyl accidentes, as alteracioun of colour and faylinge of þe pouse.
- (?c1425) Hoccl.Jonathas (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)604 : He sy hire vryne & eeke felte hir pous.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9011 : He tasted his pous, saw his vryn.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)41/22 : A leche felid his pownce & lukid his watir.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)109/4 : Ȝif here powce bete swythe..it be-tokynyth, [etc.].
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)41/26 : Into werkis of þis lijfli regioun, seruen vertues or powers..to make pulse fro þe hert into þe bodi abrood.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1016/19 : They..felte hys powse to wete whethir were ony lyff in hym.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9877 : I..Tastyd hys pows in certeyne.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)90b/b : Vertu of his body..quikenede aȝen, and þe pouse bygan to appere febleliche.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)100a : A puls: pulsus.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)191 : Whan he had seen her watir and felt her pounce, he said, 'my dere lady, ye have a speciall sikenesse.'
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)25a/25 : Þeis been þe tokens: Rednes, hardnes, swellyng, dethe in þe flesshe, A gret pousse for þe gret hete.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)29a/8 : I ne sawe neuer noon that afterwardes ȝeykyd and had quakyng of hert and speciale with outyn pouz as this was þat ascapid.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/a : By veynes & pulsis he [spirit] ȝeueþ to bestis breþ, lif, & puls.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)94 : J testede hise pouces, but..j fond nouht in sinewe..more than in a blast of wynd in pouce ne breth.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.59 : The pulses [Trev.: betynge; L pulsus] of the veynes be felede more in the extremites than in the myddes of the body.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)2171 : As in phisike trust not to vryne Only, but also take witnes & doctryne Of youre pulsis.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)80b/a : Þanne we helpiþ wiþ coolde medicines & moisteþ..þe veynes of þe pouns [L venas pulsatiles] wiþ water of roses.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)205a/b : Þe saphire keleþ moche..if he is y-honged nyh þe pulses.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)237b/b : Þe puls veynes [L vene pulsatiles].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1114 : Therwith his pous [vr. pounce] and paumes of his hondes They gan to frote.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)118a/a : It is to be examined first if he be dede or quike in touchyng þe pulse.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)57b/b : Þe pouce veine passeþ oute fro þe lefte orifice, of þe whiche þe tone partie goeþ to þe lunges, þe whiche pouce veyne is cleped venalis.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)185/10 : Ȝef a man hawe a festre þat is gendred of hete, it is good to anoynte hys pownse þerwyth.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)232/732 : Enoynt thi pawms of thyn hands & also wasshe þi ponnce.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)262/850 : Take poudre of mastyk and medle with vynegre and oyle and enoynt the ponns box of the hede and of the handis & of the fete.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)126a/b : Summe auctouris of surgerie..taken houndis heeris..& þei medle hem wiþ a litil oile de oliue, & þei anoynte þe pous of þe heed & of þe armes.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/a : By veynes & pulsis he [spirit] ȝeueþ to bestis breþ, lif, & puls.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/a : So þe spirit vitalis is I-sprad in to al þe body and makeþ þe veynes þe puls of lif.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.41vb () : Often tym þai lese appetit & comeþ a colde aboute þe hert & þe spirituales, & þis colde is callede 'syncopis'..þan her powcis die and þai mai noȝt, or elles vnneþe, be perceyued.
Note: New spelling (pl.) = powcis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pouse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pulse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pouse box.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pouse vein.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of pulse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (c)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. vein of the pulse.