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grain

.
Searchable Lemmata: granum (L), grain (AF), grana (L), grain (ME), grain (MdE).
Alternate Forms: granee, grani, granis, grano, grayn, greien, grein, greino, greyn, greynz.

    Definitions and Defining Citations:

1(n.) Dye; kermes, an expensive red dyestuff made from from the dessicated eggs of the female shield louse (Kermes vermilio (Planch.) Targ.), which resembled grain. Classical L granum could, of course, refer to a grain or seed of the cereal plant or other various grains, but granum and the form grana (derived in part from Old French graine, itself from L granum) was used to refer to kermes. In later accounts and descriptions of cloth, the expression 'in grain' or 'dyed in grain' appears frequently (AF 'en grain', ME 'in grain', 'deied in/with grain', 'teined in grain', 'deped in grain', etc.), suggesting that the cloth or garment was fast-dyed with scarlet. 'Sanz grein' (without grain) indicated a cheaper cloth. There are also geographical attributions, as in ME 'grain of Portugal' (cf. Chaucer CT.NP below) and 'grain de Seville'. Cf. grained, grained cloth, etc.(1190 - circa 1600)
1. pro j haubergio de xxxiij ulnis ad opus regis ... pro j panno de xxxiij ulnis tincto in grein' Accounts. (citations from individual page of text may not appear in original order) [DMLBS Pipe (3) 1190]
2. lana sandicis ... opem sorciatur ut tinctura crebro condimento granee [gl.: brasyl] inebrietur Other. [DMLBS NECKAM (Ut. 107c)]
3. [123] ... drap de lin teint en jaune ... [125] ... Baleis est une pere ke vent de une isle ky ... ad a nun Corinthe ... [128.xvii.12] ... Ele deit estre envolupé en drap de lin teint en jaune (var. en greine) [AND Lapid (123-128) circa 1100/1300]
4. C’est assavoir quatre deniers du drap d'assise et sanz grein; et six deniers du drap d'assise et scarlet Legal. [AND Foedera (iii 771) post 1255]
5. [8] ... De chescun chief de Sandal iij d. ... Safroun, greynz, brasyl ... [12] ... De une balenge de Cambre Legal. (citations from individual page of text may not appear in original order) [AND Oak Book (ii 8-12) circa 1300/1350]
6. ij s. de quolibet scarleto et panno tincto in grano, item xviij d. de quolibet panno in quo pars grani fuerit intermixta [DMLBS MGL (II 209) 1303]
7. .iiii. russet de Colchestere scarletz, bloyes ou pers selestiens, plunketz sanguyns et violetz en greyn rayés, motlez de Sarisbury et autrez divers colours de plusours sortz [AND Man lang ANTS (76.9) 1396]
8. Hym nedeth nat his colour for to dyen With brasile ne with greyn of Portyngale Poetic. [MED Chaucer CT.NP. ((Manly-Rickert) B.4649) circa 1390]
9. Item, paié a Sire William Hedyngdoun pur lez orfreys de une chesible de velvet en grayn embroydez, q’il ad donee ovesqe une missale aprés son decesse, ambedeux al oeps del mercerye – xxxiii s. iii d. Accounts. [Trans., p. 209:] 'Item, paid to Sir William Hedyngton for the embroidered orphreys of a velvet chasuble dyed in grain, which he has bequeathed after his death with a missal, both of them for the use of the mercers’ mystery 33 s. 4.' [LexP Mercers' Accounts (I.208) 1407/1408]
10. [37] ... v peces de oulone, iij C de canevas ... [39] ... vj verges de drap ... [42] ... j balet de greine pour drap Accounts. [AND Port Bks (37-42) 1427/1430]
11. pannis de scarleta de sangewyn et de aliis coloribus de integro grano vel de dim. grano Accounts. [DMLBS LTRAcCust (18 m. 37) 1432]
12. Item paié pur nostre drap de colour et pur le grayn et pur le dyenge qe amonte lxviij l. xj s. iij d. Accounts. [AND Grocers (149) circa 1300/1500]
13. de quolibet panno de dimidio grano de assisa, v d. Legal. [DMLBS Pat (1299 m. 1) 1587]
c.f.: engrain, grained, granatus
AF, L, ME, MdE; Primarily N/A.
Use: n/a    Status: n/a    Rank: n/a    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(n.) Jewellery; something resembling a grain or particle -- specifically, a small jewel. Also cf. granulum rosarum.(circa 1315)
1. anulus ... cum saphiro aquoso ... cum vj granis smaradginis et vj parvis gernettis Accounts. [DMLBS Invent. Ch. Ch. (71) circa 1315]
L; Primarily Accounts.
Sex: N/A    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.

    Etymological Evidence:

Definite, CL granum, and Old French graine. Medieval L forms stemming from grana shows influence from Old French graine [DMLBS IV, 1096-7].
WF:
Etym Cog: granum (CL), graine (OF).
References:
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