mouldwarp Now chiefly north. dial. (see E.D.D.).
(ˈməʊldwɔːp)
Forms: α. 4–7 moldewarp(e, 5–6 moldwarppe, 5–7 -warpe, (4 mold(e)werp, mald(e)worp, -werp, 7 mowld-, mould(e)warp, 9 moldwark, mould-warper, etc.,) 4– moldwarp, 6– mouldwarp. β. 4 molwarp(pe, -worp, 6 moul(e)warp(e, 7 molewarp, mowlewarp(e. γ. 7 mouldwart, moulwatt, 9 moulderd, motherd, mowthad, etc. δ. 4–6 moldywarp, 6 moudy warpe, mowldiwarp, 7 moldiwarpe, 8–9 mowde-, mowdywarp, 9 mou(l)di-, mou(l)dy-, modi-, moudi-, mowdi(e)-, mouly-warp, (-warf, -wark); moudy-, mouley-rat. ε. (chiefly Sc.) 5–7 mowdewart, 6 mode-, modi-, mody-, moodiewart, modeuart, 6, 9 moudie-wart, 7 moudewort, 8–9 moudiewort, 9 mowdie-, mo(u)di-, muddywort.
[ME. mold-warp, molwarp, -werp, repr. OE. *moldweorp = MLG. moldewerp, molwerp, early mod.Du. mol-, mulworp, OHG. multwurf (MHG. moltworf, -werf(e); also Norw. moldvarp, MSw. mold-, mol-, mulvarper, -värpil, etc., Sw. dial. mullvarp, Da. muldvarp, Icel. moldvarpa:—OTeut. *moldo-worpo(n)-, -werpo(n)-, literally ‘earth-thrower’, f. *moldā mould n.1 + *-wurp-, werp- to throw. See also mole n.2
In English, as in other Germanic languages (cf. OHG. mûwurf, mûwerfo, mûwerft, MHG. m{uacu}werfe, mûlwurf, G. maulwurf, LG. mol(t)worm, Sw. mullvad), the word has undergone various etymologizing perversions.]
1. = mole n.2 Also fig. (cf. mole n.2 1 b, 2) and poet.
| α c 1325 Gloss. W. de Bibbesw. in Wright Voc. 166 Taupes, moldewarpes. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 315 Þes blynde moldewerpis, evere wrotyng in þe erþe aboute erþely muk. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. lxxv. 60 After this lambe shal come a mold warpe. 1595 Spenser Col. Clout 763 They..drownded lie in pleasures wastefull well, In which like Moldwarps nousling still they lurke. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iii. i. 149. 1655 Walton Angler i. (1661) 15 The Feret, the Pole-cat, the Mouldwarp, [etc.]. 1691 Ray N.C. Words 135 A Mould Warp, a Mole. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 103 The moldwarp digs his mossy grave. 1829 J. L. Knapp Jrnl. Nat. 142 The mole, want, mouldwarper, or mould-turner. 1916 Blunden Harbingers 59 Mouldwarps working late. 1928 A. D. Mackie Poems in Two Tongues 51 Alang his pad the mowdie-worps Like sma' Assyrians lie. |
| β c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 402 Many men have molworpis iȝen. 1483 Cath. Angl. 242/2 A Molwarppe, talpa. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 350 A Moulwarpes skinne. 1596 Lodge Wits Miserie (1879) 37, I will make the old moule⁓warpe hang himselfe in his owne garters to see his villanies opened. 1605 Tryall Chev. iii. i. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 307, I took you for a spy. Yet saw me not no more then a Mole⁓warp. 1607 J. King Serm. 5 Nov. 29 They begin their worke with a mine vnder ground (Romish pioners, Anti⁓christian molewarps..). 1636 James Iter Lanc. (Chetham Soc.) 370 The leadsmen..who lives of molewarps have. |
| γ 1604 Broughton Corrupt. Handl. Relig. (1605) 88 They..may well holde vs as Battes and Moulwattes that cannot see that. 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 204/2 He beareth Argent, a Mole (or Mouldwart), Sable. |
| δ c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 478 How þen durne þese erthly moldy-warpis take so grete burthen of worldly dritte upon hem? c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 924 The moldywarp the Grekis thus pursue. 1577 Nottingham Rec. IV. 168 Payd Bakyn..for takyng of mowdy warpes. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iii. i. i. (1624) 256 As the moldiwarpe in æsope told the Fox. c 1746 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. Wks. (1862) 57 Hoos..os smoot os o Mowde⁓warp. 1829 Brockett N.C. Words, Moudy-rat, Moudy⁓warp, Mouley-rat. 1886 S.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., Our cat brings in a moulywarp nows and thens. |
| ε c 1470 Henryson Mor. Fab. v. (Parl. Beasts) xviii, The marmisset the mowdewart couth leid, Becaus that nature had denyit hir sicht. 1589 R. Bruce Serm. (Wodrow Soc.) 107 Blinde as a modewart. 1598 Florio, Talpa,..a moodie⁓wart. a 1600 Montgomerie Misc. Poems xviii. 57 Hir meit of modeuarts and myce. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 40 Whyles mice an' moudieworts they howkit. 1825 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 18 Mowdiewarts, they might as weel look at the newharled gable end of a barn. 1828 Fleming Hist. Brit. Anim. 9 Talpa europæa... English, Moldwark; Scottish, Muddywort. 1859 Ramsay Remin. 189, I was married to a moudiwart last, but now I am getting a husband who can see me. |
2. attrib. and
Comb., as
mouldwarp foot,
mouldwarp hand,
mouldwarp hill;
mouldwarp-like adv.;
† mouldwarp hat, a moleskin hat;
† mouldwarp-staff, a stick for killing moles.
| 1591 in Ritchie Ch. St. Baldred (1880) 106 Having *moudie⁓wart feet on a purse given him by Satan. |
| 1647 H. More Cupid's Confl. lx, What their *mole-warp hands can feel and trie By groping touch. |
| 1570 Richmond Wills (Surtees) 229 One *mold warppe hatt. |
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 242/2 A *Molwarpphylle. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §23 Take hede..that the moldywarpe hilles be spredde. |
| 1597 H. Lok Eccles. v. 9 But *mouldwarp like, these blindfold grope in vaine. |
| 1584 MS. Inv. J. Forcet of Wawne (E. Rid. Yorks.), A *moldwarp stafe. |