plait
.
Searchable Lemmata: pleiten (ME), platten (ME), plait (MdE), plat (MdE).
Alternate Forms: platte, plattid, plattist, plattud, playted, playtede, playtyd, pleytid, y-pleite.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1(vb.)
Utilisation;
to fold, bend, flatten, etc. Also, to fall down, to prostrate oneself (reflexive). To beat, squeeze, press, etc. By extension or transference: to pleat, to fold or double over. Cf. the entry for pleat.(circa 1440 - ante 1475)
1. [402] ... Playte, of a clothe: Plica, plicatura ... Playtyd: Plicatus. Playtyn: Plico ... [406] ... Plunket [KC adds: coloure]: Jacinctus ... [408] ... Ponyet, of a sleue: Premanica, mantus
Gloss.
[MED PParv. ((Hrl 221) 402-408) 1440]
Sex: Male, Female Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2(vb.)
Utilisation;
to braid or put into plaits or interlacing strands; appears frequently as a p. ppl. Also used figuratively. Cf. platyngborde. See also the entry for pleat.(ante 1300 still in current use)
2. Among þe riche rayes I ... Brochide hem wiþ a pakke nedle, & pleit [vrr. pletede, plite, pley3t, ply3te; B vrr. playte, plyghted; C: bond] hem togidere, Putte hem in a pressour [vrr. presse, pryson] & pynnede hem þereinne, Til ten 3ardis oþer twelue tollide out þrittene.
Poetic, Vision.
[MED PPl.A(1) ((Trin-C R.3.14) 5.126-127) ante 1376]
3. [39.3] ... He cutt þerinne golden peesis & he made hem into þredis þat þei my3t ben plattid with þe wefte of þe raþer colours ... [39.20] ... Þei maden þe coope cote all Iacynctyne
Biblical/Hagiographic.
[MED WBible(1) ((Bod 959) Ex.39.3-20) ante 1382]
Sex: Male, Female Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, Verb and noun forms of MdE plat, plait, pleat, plight, etc. have a complicated eytomological and phonological history. The v. pleat is thought to be a variant of plait, v., or plait, n., although it appears to be the earliest attested form. The noun pliat derives from AF plet (fold, twist), a variant of Middle French ploit [s.v. 'plait, n.', OED3]; cf. Classical L plectere (to plait, twine, etc.) and its p. ppl. plectus, plexus. Many forms show signs of influence from other parts of speech.
WF:
Etym Cog:
References:
