▪ I. mathe Obs. (? exc. Sc.: see E.D.D.)
Forms: 1 maþa, maþu, 2–6 maþe, mathe, 3 meaðe, (4 matþe), 5 math, methe; Sc. 5 maith, 6 meathe, 9 maithe.
[OE. maþa wk. masc., maþu str. fem., cogn. w. OS. matho (Strasb. gl.) (MDu., MLG., mod.Du. made), OHG. mado masc. (MHG. made masc., mod.G. made fem.), Goth. maþa:—OTeut. *maþon-, *maþâ, of obscure origin: some have compared Skr. matka bug.]
A maggot, grub, worm.
| c 1000 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 205/8 Cimex..maþa. c 1000 ælfric Gloss. ibid. 122/3 Cimex, maþu. a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 251 As meaðen iforrotet flesch. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 484 (Kölbing) For he lete cristen wedde haþen & meynt our blod, as flesche & matþen. a 1380 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 447/167 Heore bodies þat weoren so softe I-baþen..Þer hit schal crepe ful of Maþen. a 1425 Cursor M. 11836 (Trin.) Maþes [other texts wormes] cruled in him þore. a 1440 Promp. Parv. 321/1 Make, mathe, wyrm yn þe fleshe. c 1460 in Rel. Ant. I. 302 For methys that devorith the pennys of an hawk. c 1470 Henryson Mor. Fab. i. (Cock & Jasp) xi, Riches..Quhilk maith [v.r. moith], nor moist, nor vther rust can screit. 1481 Caxton Reynard xxviii. (Arb.) 69 Yonder lyeth a dede hare full of mathes and wormes. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §45 If a shepe haue mathes, ye shall perceyue it by her bytynge [etc.]. a 1585 Montgomerie Flyting w. Polwart 319 The mair and the migrame, with the meathes in the melt. |
▪ II. mathe
see maté, math1, maythes, meath.