wibet (s.xii1)

Browse the Dictionary

    Loading...

Search Results

Your search results will appear here.

wibet (s.xii1)

[gdw]

  FEW:  wibba 17,575b Gdf:  wibete 8,333a GdfC: TL: guibet 4,764 / wibet 11,852 DEAF:  guibet G1598 DMF:  guibet  TLF: OED: MED: DMLBS:
guibet;  vibet,  vibete;  wibete,  wibett,  wibit,  wybet,  wybit,  huibet  250.28 (var.)
pl. guibez,  vibés,  wibés,  wibez,  wybez, 
pl.? wibesce  i 64  

Sense 2 'sort of arrow' (cf. Gdf and FEW), apparently used as an English term, is unexpected and remains unsupported by the MED and OED. The DEAF follows the editor of Rom de Rou WACE (iii 238.n8160) and suggests retaining the sense of 'stinging insect', interpreting the word as metaphor used by the English for the shower of arrows rather than an equivalent Middle English term for 'arrow'.

s.

1 zool.insects gnat, small stinging insect
( s.xii1; MS: c.1145 )  Il dist, e vint musche, e wibez en tuz les fins d'els (Latin: Dixit et venit cynomia et scinifes in omnibus finibus eorum)  106.104.29
( c.1180; MS: s.xiii2 )  Ne grosse musche, ne cornet, Ne bone wespe ne wibet  250.28
( s.xiiiin; MS: s.xiii2/4 )  Ki mult l'ad mis en questiuns Del guibet e de l'olifant, Dunt l'un est petit, l'autre grant  1005
( s.xiiiex; MS: s.xivin )  askuns [...] coulent le wibet et transgloutent la musche  6.35
( s.xivin; MS: s.xivm )  Le eliphant se garnist des orailles encontre wibetz e mouschez volantz  19
( s.xvin; MS: s.xv1 )  Mugez et wybez (M.E. Fliez ne gnattez) ne fount mye, Qar ils ayment pluis la urtie  59.13
2 weapons sort of arrow (?)
( 1160-74; MS: s.xiiiin )  Mult espés voloent saetes Que Engleis clamoent wibetes  ii 188.8159
This is an AND2 Phase 6 (T-Z) entry. © 2022-25 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. All rights reserved. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
wibet