< University of Manchester, Lexis of Cloth & Clothing Project, Search Result For: 'belle'
| Skip to main content | Skip to navigation | Skip to Search |

[University home]

The Lexis of Cloth and Clothing Project
    Expand All     Collapse All     Print Page

belle

.
Searchable Lemmata: belle (ME).
Alternate Forms: bell.

    Definitions and Defining Citations:

1(n.) Garment; some kind of garment, perhaps a shirt (armilausa), but more likely a cloak, tunic or other 'bell'-shaped overgarment [cf. Chaucer's Prologue: 'Of double worstede was his semycope That rounded as a belle out of the presse', MED Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert), A.26].(ante 1400 - ante 1500 ?)
1. They gooþ, fi3teþ ... liggeþ, and slepeþ ... Wiþ gipoun, tabard, cloke, and belle Wiþ gipoun, tabard, cloke, and belle ... Wiþ oute hodes, hatte, or cappes, Thus arraied gooþ þe gigges [read: geggis] Historic. [MED Trev.Higd. ((StJ-C H.1) 1.403) ante 1387]
2. Armilausam vocatam Belle de scarlet Wills. [MED Will of Baldwin Radyngton Knt. ([OD col.]) 1401]
3. Hir belle was of plonkete [Dc: blunket; Ir: blenket], withe birdis fulle baulde / Botonede with besantes, and bokellede fulle bene. Arthurian, Heroic, Poetic, Romance. (work: a1400) [MED Awntyrs Arth. ((Thrn) 367-8) circa 1440]
c.f.: armilausa
ME.
Sex: Female    Use: Secular    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.

    Etymological Evidence:

Speculative, Probably from ME belle (bell, the enclosed, ringing instrument), with transferred sense based on the garment's shape.
WF:
Etym Cog:
References:
Skip to main content Skip to navigation