▪ I. rood, n.
(ruːd)
Forms: α. 1–6 rod, 3–6 rode (6 roide, rodde), 4–7 roode, 5 roed, rowd, 6 roud, 6– rood. β. Sc. 5 rwd, 5–6 rud, 5– rude, 6– ruid (9 reed).
[OE. ród fem. (obl. cases róde, pl. róda), corresponding in sense 1 to OFris. rôde, OS. ruoda, OIcel. róða (also róði masc.); the latter is prob. from OE. In the sense of twig or rod (also measuring-rod, measure of land), the cognate forms appear as Fris. roede (roe), MDu. ro(o)de, roede, ruede (Du. roede), OS. ruoda (MLG. rôde, rôdhe, LG. rôde, rôe), OHG. rouda, ruada, ruota (MHG. ruote, rûte, G. ruthe, rute). In OE. the original application of this sense appears only in the compound seᵹlród sail-yard, which corresponds to OHG. segalrôda.]
I. † 1. A cross, as an instrument of execution; = cross n. 1. Obs.
| a 900 O.E. Martyrol. 30 Nov., On Patria þære ceastre he wæs ahangen on rode. 971 Blickling Hom. 191 Forþon þe he me of eorþan to heofenum laþaþ, þy sceal min rod onwended beon. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xl. 19 æfter þam hæt Pharao þe ahon on rode [= 22 on gealᵹan]. a 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1137, Þe Iudeus of Noruuic bohton an cristen cild.., &..him on rode hengen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 122 Seint Andreu muhte iðolien þet te herde rode hef him touward heouene. c 1290 Holy Rood 75 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 3 Huy founden roden þreo:..Þe rode þat god was on ido, and þat þe tweie þeoues weren on an-honge. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 96 Þaȝ I be nummen in Niniue & naked dispoyled, On rode rwly to-rent. |
2. a. The cross upon which Christ suffered; the cross as the symbol of the Christian faith. Now only
arch.| a 900 O.E. Martyrol. 25 Mar., Seo Cristes rod on þære he wæs ahongen. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xix. 25 Ᵹestodun..æt ðær rode hælendes moder..& suoester. c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives vi. 74 Mid haliᵹ-dome of þæs hælendes rode. c 1205 Lay. 11165 Þa rode, þe Crist ure lauerd alisden on þes middelærd. c 1290 Holy Rood 24 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 1 He seide me..to burie þe rode op-on Caluarie hulle. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1669 Bi þat blisful barn þat bouȝt us on þe rode. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 427 Þe foure irene nayles þat Crist was i-nayled with to þe rode. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas i. i. (1544) 3 You for to saue He starf upon the roode. c 1530 Hickscorner 12 Whan she sawe her sone on the rode, The swerde of sorowe gave that lady a wounde. a 1600 Montgomerie Devot. Poems iii. 41 When he wes rent vpon the rude, He boght belevers with his blude. 1609 J. Davies (Heref.) Holy Roode Wks. (Grosart) I. 22/2 We must endure the Racke, as he the Rood. |
| 1801 Wordsw. Cuckoo & Night. xix, God,..that died upon the rood, From thee and thy base throat, keep all that's good. 1868 Morris Earthly Par. (1870) I. i. 336 Good hope I have Of help from Him that died upon the rood. |
| fig. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xvi. 24 Ᵹif hua wil æfter meh ᵹe-cyme..ᵹenimma roda vel unhælo his & ᵹefylᵹeð me. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 147 He muneȝeð us an oðer rode to berene, þet is inemned..fleises lensing. c 1200 Ormin 5609 He take hiss rode, & bere itt rihht & follȝhe swa min bisne. a 1225 Ancr. R. 60 Þu schalt acorien þe rode, þet is, acorien his sunne. |
† b. Used without article,
esp. on rood.
Obs.| c 825 Vesp. Hymns xiii. 16 Meᵹen ðorh rode deaðes fordrestende. a 900 O.E. Martyrol. 25 Mar., æfter þrym monðum wæs Crist ahangen on rode. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvii. 42 Ᵹif [he] cyniᵹ israhela is, astiᵹe nu of rode. a 1225 St. Marher. 1 Efter ure lauerd es pine, ant his passiun, ant his deð on rode. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 386 Ne sulen it neuere ben un-don, Til ihesus beð on Rode don. a 1300 Cursor M. 10393 Iesu crist was tan And don on rode for our wite. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 705 He on rode þat blody dyed. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cxxxix, Be him that starf on rude. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 151 ‘Mercy,’ he said, ‘for him that deit on rud’. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems ix. 103 Thow, quhois blude on rude ran for my deid. 1567 Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.) 131 On Rude, thow sched thy blude. |
| 1823 Roscoe tr. Sismondi's Lit. Europe (1846) II. 139 The curse of God who died on rood, was on that sinner's head. |
† c. In adjurations,
for the rood! etc.
Obs.| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 1766 For cristes rode! What haue y don wouȝ? 13.. Sir Beues 461 ‘Beues!’ a seide, ‘for þe rode, What dostow her?’ c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xiii, For the rode, On quat maner spendutte he his gud, That thusgate is a-way? c 1470 Golagros & Gaw. 124 Schir Gawyne, graith ye that gait, for the gude rude! |
d. In asseverations,
by the rood! etc. Now only
arch.| 13.. Sir Beues 968 ‘Bleþelich,’ a seide, ‘be þe rod!’ 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iv. 134 ‘And ȝet,’ quod resoun, ‘bi þe Rode I shal no reuthe haue’. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1459 Now, by the roode, fader, sothe sey ye. c 1450 Holland Howlat 94 Be the rud, I am richt rad For to behald ȝour halyness. 1519 Interl. Four Elem. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 26 Yea, by the rood! even with the greatest. 1577–82 Breton Floorish upon Fancie Wks. (Grosart) I. 17/1 And of such Beds, she hath such stoare of choise (by roode). 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iv. 14 Qu. Haue you forgot me? Ham. No by the Rood, not so. |
| 1810 Scott Lady of L. i. xxii, Now, by the rood,..Your courtesy has err'd. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 374 Yea, by God's rood, I trusted you too much. 1896 A. Austin England's Darling i. i, By the rood! they are wise enough. |
3. a. A crucifix,
esp. one stationed above the middle of a rood-screen; also
rarely, a figure of the cross in wood or metal, as a religious object.
The roods at certain places are frequently mentioned as special objects of pilgrimage or worship. In some cases
rood denotes especially the image of Christ as distinct from the cross itself.
| c 1072 in Earle Land Charters 250 He hæfð þider ynn ᵹedon..ii mycele ᵹebonede roda butan oðrum litlum silfrenum swur-rodum. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1083, On þære rode þe stod bufon þam weofode. Ibid. an. 1102, Þeofas..breokan þa mynstre of Burh, & þær inne naman..roden & calicen & candel-sticcan. c 1205 Lay. 22101 Þe king nom ane rode [c 1275 an halidom]. 1297 R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls) 6594 He wende him uorþ to chirche & biuore þe rode com. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 145, I swere..þat sunne wol I lete,..And bidde þe Rode of Bromholm bringe me out of dette. Ibid. vii. 93, I bar hom þat I borwede,..by þe Rode of Chestre! c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. ix. 194 [To go] to the rode of the north dore at London rather than to ech other roode. 1496–7 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 224 Item, to the karvare..for mendyng the Roode, the Crosse, þe Mary & Iohn. 1503 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 179 That wold be the most joyfull tydings unto me.., as knoweth the blessed Rode of Rodeborne, who save you in His blessed keepinge. 1584 Fenner Def. Ministers (1587) 106 All Roodes, all Images of Saintes.., should..be defaced. 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie v. iii, Get you gone, or I sweare by the roodes bodie Ile lay you by the heeles. 1625 E. Pagitt Christianogr. (1635) 22 Vouchsafe to blesse this Rood of the Crosse, that [etc.]. 1702 Pope Wife of Bath 245 He..now lies buried underneath a Rood, Fair to be seen, and rear'd of honest wood. 1778 Eng. Gazeteer (ed. 2) s.v. Wheathamstead, Here are the remains of the popish image called the Rood, which is turned into the clerk's desk. 1812 Brady Clavis Cal. II. 154 One of the most famous of these Crucifixes was found at Boxley Abbey in Kent, styled the Rood of Grace. 1853 Ruskin Stones Ven. II. iv. 70 The great rood that crosses the church before the altar, raised in bright blazonry against the shadow of the apse. 1873 W. H. Dixon Two Queens III. xvi. xi. 243 Praying and going on a pilgrimage to shrine and rood. |
b. A figure or representation of the cross.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 506 Bothe riche and religious þat Rode þei honoure, Þat in grotes is ygraue and in golde nobles. |
4. ellipt. Holy Rood day.
Sc.| 1814 J. Train Mountain Muse 30 [She told] How he, by lore obain'd at School, Each month could count from Rood to Yule. |
5. Holy Rood:
a. = sense 2. Now
arch.| a 1100 Leg. Rood 3 Þære halᵹan rode ᵹemetnes. c 1100 O.E. Chron. (MS. F) an. 200, On þysum ᵹeare was ᵹefunden seo haliᵹe rod. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 33 Ac ðin lauerd hes ofearnede on ðare hali rode. c 1290 Holy Rood 1 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 1 Þe holie rode i-founde was, ase ich eov nouþe may telle. c 1300 Havelok 431 Haue he þe malisun..of þe leue holi rode. a 1515 Interlud of Droichis 173 in Dunbar's Poems (1897) 320 God bliss thame, and the Haly Rude. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iii. ii. 78 But by the holy Rood, I doe not like these seuerall Councels, I. 1648 Herrick Hesper., Old Wives Prayer, Holy-Rood come forth and shield Us i' th' citie, and the field. |
| 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. vi. xx, And, by the holy rood! A man all light, a seraph-man, On every corse there stood. 1839 Longfellow Celestial Pilot, Then made he sign of holy rood upon them. 1842 Tennyson Day-dream, Revival iii, By holy rood, a royal beard! |
b. = sense 3. Now
arch.| a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1070, Hi..ᵹeodon into þe mynstre, clumben upp to þe halᵹe rode. 1583 Fulke Def. Tr. Script. iii. (1843) 187 Catholic Christians that reverently kneel in prayer before the cross, the holy rood, the images of our Saviour Christ and his saints. |
| 1815 Scott Ld. of Isles ii. xxiii, The Abbot on the threshold stood, And in his hand the holy rood. 1865 Kingsley Herew. ii[i], Under the altar behind the holy rood. 1899 E. J. Chapman Drama of Two Lives 48 The Holy Rood With its crown'd Christ. |
† c. = sense 4.
Obs. rare.
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) ii, Aboute þe tyme of holy rode in Septembre. 1573 P. More Alm. & Prognost. A viij b, At holy Roode, and Gregorie, the nyght and day is equal. |
d. attrib. (See also
Rood day.)
| 1023 in Kemble Cod. Dipl. IV. 25 Ic ælfric..ðas ilke kinges godne wille mid ðam haleᵹan rode tacne ᵹefæstni. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 193 [She] wrat on hire breoste..Þe hali rode taken. c 1400 Brut 292 In whiche ȝere, on Holy Roed ȝeue, deide Sere Iohn of Eltham. |
6. attrib. and
Comb., as
rood-altar,
Sc. an altar of the Holy Rood;
rood-arch (see
quot. 1850);
rood-beam, a transverse beam supporting the rood, usually forming the head of a rood-screen;
† rood-board,
Sc. an offertory-box in which collections for the rood were taken;
rood-cloth, a cloth used to cover the crucifix over the rood-screen during Lent;
† Rood even, the 13th of September (see
Rood day);
Rood-fair,
Sc. an annual fair held locally either in May or September;
† rood-light, a light maintained before or beside the rood;
† Rood-mass, a mass said in honour of the rood; also
† Rood(s)mas (day),
= Rood day;
† rood-pine, the torment of the cross;
rood-priest, a priest who officiated at a rood-altar;
rood-situation, the position of a rood in a church;
† rood-soller, a rood-loft;
rood-stair, a staircase giving access to a rood-loft (1875
Encycl. Brit. II. 472);
rood-steeple = rood-tower;
rood-stone (see
quot.);
† rood-token, the sign of the cross;
rood-tower (see
quot.);
† rood-wold, the rood or cross.
| 1472 Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 31 Schir Androu,..chaplan of ye *Rude altar in ye parisch kirk of ye said burgh. 1556 Ibid. 296 Maister Edward Menzies, cheplane of the ruid alter in the organ loft. 1650–1 Extr. Rec. Stirling (1887) 301 The annuell of the Rude altar. |
| 1850 Parker Gloss. Arch. (ed. 5) 393 The term *rood-arch is sometimes applied to the arch between the nave and chancel. |
| c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 496 He..lith y-graue vnder the *roode beem. 1850 Parker Gloss. Arch. (ed. 5) 392 The rood..was supported either by a beam called the rood-beam, or by a gallery called the rood-loft. |
| 1556 Extr. Rec. Stirling (1887) 68 Quhatsumevir persone being charget to gaddir with the *Rud brod. |
| 1466 in Archaeologia L. i. (1887) 44 Item j *Rode clothe steyned w{supt} the passioun of our lorde of the yifte of Iohne Crouton. 1566 in Peacock Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866) 159 One rood clothe, one banner clothe, one veale. |
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 634 On the *Rude-evyn, in the dawing, The Ingliss host blew till assale. |
| 1685 Acts Parl. Scot. (1820) VIII. 504 Ane free fair yearly to be holdin..at the paroch kirk of Killmanevock upon the Second Day of September called the *Ruidfair. 1790 Morison Poems 11 When lads an' lassies..Came to the Rood Fair jauntin. 1832 Carlyle in Froude Life (1882) II. 313 We despatched the animal to Alick, to make ready for the ‘rood fair’. 1931 J. Buchan Blanket of Dark 86 Old John Naps was at the Rood Fair on Barton Heath. 1957 Dumfries & Galloway Standard 26 Jan. 3/2 The ‘Reed’ Fair, as we pronounced it in our Dumfries dialect—‘Reed’ was a corruption of Rude or Rood or Cross. |
| 1442 in Bucks., Berks., & Oxon. Archæol. Jrnl. (1908) June 25 Ressevyd at Cristemas for ye *rode lyght of ye parishe, vs. vi{supd}. 1529 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 21 The residue to the upholdynge of the rode light. |
| 1545 Ibid. 235 For the *roode masse singinge everye Friday. c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon §245 (1810) 258 Fairs they have on Roodmas day, and on St. James's day. 1825 Jamieson Suppl., Rudesmess, Rudesmas, a name given to a certain term in the year, Dumfr. |
| c 1200 Ormin 2018 Ne munnde he næfre letenn himm Þurrh *rode⁓pine cwellenn. |
| 1516 in Jeayes Derbyshire Charters (1906) No. 91 Indenture between Sir Thomas Russell, ‘*rood⁓prest,’..and John Knyvetone. 1618 in Scottish Antiq. XI. 21 Umquhill Sir Robert Meldrum, ruidpreist of Kinedvard. |
| 1655 Fuller Waltham Abbey 16 Harpsfield..confesseth himself ignorant of the reason of the *Rood-scituation. |
| c 1562 in Shropsh. Parish Doc. (1903) 61 To a peynetr for peynetyng the *rode soler, xii{supd}. |
| 1801 Scott Eve St. John xx, By the black *rood-stone,..I conjure thee, my love, to be there! [Note. The black-rood of Melrose was a crucifix of black marble.] |
| 971 Blickling Hom. 243 Hie ᵹesawon Cristes *rodetacen on his onsiene. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 40 And wyrcan mid þæs lambes blode rodetacn on heora ᵹedyrum. a 1225 Ancr. R. 20 Et te biginnunge of euerich tide..makieð rodentokne, also ich er tauhte. |
| 1823 Pugin Gothic Arch. Gloss., *Rood-tower, Rood-steeple, the tower or steeple built over the intersection of the body and cross⁓ailes of a church. 1839 Penny Cycl. XIV. 8/2 Placed in the Rood (or central) tower. |
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 255 Til ihesus was on werlde boren, And til he was on ðe *rode-wold. |
II. 7. As a linear measure: A rod, pole, or perch. Now only in local use, and varying from 6 to 8 yards.
| 904 in Birch Cart. Sax. II. 266 Se [haᵹa] is fram þære ea..east wardes .xxviii. roda lang & þonon suþwardes .xxiiii. roda brad. 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 438, j. acre of lond conteynyth in lengthe .xl. rodes. 1543 in Lett. & P. Hen. VIII, XVIII. ii. 118 For skoryn of a water souer.., cxx rud after id. ob. a rud. 1634–5 Brereton Trav. (Chetham Soc.) 17 It is ten English rood long on the sides, eight rood broad. 1766 J. Bartram Jrnl. 7 Jan. 26 At about 200 yards from it runs out a large stream of water,..and may be smelt at some roods distant. 1790 W. Marshall Rur. Econ. Midl. Co. Gloss., Rood, a measure of eight yards in length. 1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 112 These [stones]..are commonly put about the middle of the work, in the proportion of nine or ten to every rood of seven yards. 1856 Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 1126/1 Rood,..(Chesh.), of hedging, 8 yards;..(Derbys.), of bark, seems to be a pile 7 yards in length; of draining or fencing, 7 or 8 yards [etc.]. 1881 Cheshire Gloss. s.v., Such piece⁓work as hedging and ditching, draining, putting up posts and rails, &c., is done at so much per rood. |
8. a. A superficial measure of land, properly containing 40 square poles or perches, but varying locally; a plot of land of this size.
A table of local variations from the statute rood is given in Morton
Cycl. Agric. II. 939.
In
OE. this use appears only in descriptions of boundaries, as the designation of particular strips of cultivated land. The
ME. evidence is also very scanty, though the Latinized form
roda occurs freely in charters.
| 889 in Birch Cart. Sax. II. 202 West be ðy wioda andlanges ðare rode oð ðane pyt. 961 Ibid. 292 Andlang þære rode innon syx æceras. 1058 in Earle Land Charters 248 Of ðære dune andlang þære rode oð hit cymð beneoðan stancnolle. |
| 1139 in Dugdale Monast. Angl. (1655) I. 469/1 Una roda, ab aquilonari parte virgulti. ? 1231 Ibid. II. 40/2 Excepta una roda, quam retineo ad viam habendam juxta haiam meam. 1279 Rot. Hundred. (1818) II. 572/1 In mesuagio j rodam et xiiij acras terre. a 1377 in Dugdale Monast. Angl. (1655) II. 354/2 Unam virgatam lix. acras, tres rodas & xxxv. perticatas terræ. 1442 Rolls of Parlt. V. 59/1 The feerde parte of a Rode of Londe. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 287 The forsaid Rode of land, with all his pertynentis. 1538 tr. Fitzherbert's Justyce Peace 114 One rode, that is the 4 part of an acre of lande. 1571 Digges Pantom. ii. xi. N ij, So manye perches you maye conclude the Area of that Figure, which..bringeth 10 Acres 3½ Roodes. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 196 His other Parts besides Prone on the Flood,..Lay floating many a rood. 1713 Arbuthnot John Bull ii. vi, Nic{ddd}calculated the Acres and Roods to a great nicety. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 58 A time there was..When every rood of ground maintained its man. 1805 Trans. Soc. Arts XXIII. 43, I had an acre and three rood of carrots. 1892 Stevenson Across the Plains ii. 95 His old family estates, not one rood of which remained to him. |
b. A measure (of land, paving, digging, building, etc.) corresponding to a square pole or perch, but with local and other variations. (See
quots.)
| 1464 Charters Peebles (1872) 153 John Thomsoun..sal pay for his fredom x s. at Beltan, or a rud of causay. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 826 Wallace..Romde him about a large rude and mar. 1532 Extr. Rec. Edin. (1871) 58 To the..calsay makaris for ilk scottis rude, that is to say vj elnis of lenth and vj elnis of breid, xxx schillingis Scottis. 1597 Skene De Verb. Sign. s.v. Particata, Sex elnes lang, and sex elnes broad, makis ane fall. To this fall the little ruid, or ruid of warke, or of buirdes, or of maisone, or sklait warke, is equal. 1609 ― Reg. Maj., Burrow Lawes cxix, Ane Ruid of land within ane Baronie, sould be measured be sax elnes... Ane Ruid of land within burgh, conteines twentie fute. 1829 Glover's Hist. Derby I. 91 Slate is sold by the rood, or in sufficient quantity to roof in 44 square yards. 1849 Craig, Rood... In Building, 36 square yards. In Flooring, 100 square feet. 1856 Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 1126 Rood,..(Chesh.),.. of land, 8 yards square = 64 square yards; of marl, 64 cubic yards... (Durham), of wall⁓building, 7 yards... (Berwicks.),..of masonry, 6 yards square, 2 feet thick [etc.]. |
† c. A measure of timber.
Obs.| 1391 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 106 In j rod meremii sarrand. eodem tempore, 3s. 4d. 1534–5 Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 111 Pro sarracione j di. Rude meremii. 1597 [see b]. 1632 Knaresb. Wills (Surtees) II. 122, I discharge him of the payment of xxijs. enenst one rood of boardes he bought of me. |
† 9. A measure of wine. [
MDu. roede.]
Obs.| 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 190 The rood of reynysh wyne of Dordreight is x. awmes... Item the rood of Andwarp is xiiij awmes. |
10. Comb., as
rood-breadth;
† rood-fall (
cf. 8 b,
quot. 1597). Also
rood land.
| 1396 Chron. de Melsa (Rolls) II. 88, 3 perticatas terræ cum 7 rodefallis [v.r. rudefallis] in Suttona. 1806 J. Grahame Birds of Scot. i. 23 The oak majestical, whose aged boughs Darken a rood breadth. |
▪ II. rood, v. [var. of roud, rudd, etc.: see redd n.2] intr. To spawn.
| 1868 Peard Water-farm. iv. 45 The heavier fish rood on the deeper runs. |
▪ III. rood obs. pa. tense of
ride v.