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curch

.
Searchable Lemmata: curch (MdE), kerche (ME), kerch (ME), kerchie (ME), kerchie (ME), kirche (ME), curch (ME), keverche (ME).
Alternate Forms:

    Definitions and Defining Citations:

1a(n.) Accessory; woman's headcloth; veil, kerchief; handkerchief. The term is used to refer to the sudarium of Saint Veronica (second half of the fifteenth century: Book of Margery Kemp, "Ludus Coventriae", etc.).(1310 - post 1900)
1. Þer was schewyd owyr Ladys kerche, whech sche weryd her in erth [MED MKempe A ((Add 61823) 79/21) ante 1438]
2. [43] ... Flameum ... is a kerchi or ellis a large wympil mad of red silk all þinne with whech 3ong women hid her face ... [64] ... Of þe holy uernacle wil we speke now. Summe men clepe it þe sudary of crist; Of þis same grete relik ... geruasius ... seith ... þat þis woman þat had þis sudary in whech crist wipt his face whan he went to his passioun was martha [MED Capgr.Rome ((Bod 423) 43-64) circa 1450]
3. Veronyca, þi whipyng doth me ese ... I xal þem kepe from all mys-ese þat lokyn on þi kerchy and remembyr me Biblical/Hagiographic, Drama, Poetic. [MED Ludus C. ((Vsp D.8) 296/725) ante 1475]
c.f.: kerchief, flammeus, vernicle
ME, MdE.
Sex: Female    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: Head.
1b(n.) Accessory; a cloth used for swathing an infant or for binding (wounds, etc.).(ante 1438 - ante 1500)
1. Sche beggyd owyr Lady fayr whyte clothys & kerchys for to swathyn in hir Sone whan he wer born [MED MKempe A ((Add 61823) 19/14) ante 1438]
2. 'A kerche thanne to him was fet; A spere to his herte was set.' [MED Ihesu of his moder (p. 127) circa 1450]
ME.
Sex: Female    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.

    Etymological Evidence:

Definite, Shortened form of cover-chef.
WF:
Etym Cog: cover-chef, kevercheef, nek-kerchef, coverchief, kerchief, kercher.
References:
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