† gemew, gemow Obs.
Forms: 4–6 jemew(e, gemow, (5 gewmew, gemoose pl.), gymmew, 5–6 gymew(e, gymow(e, 6 gimew, jemowe, gymmow, gimmon, 6–7 gemew(e, gemowe, gim(m)ew, (jewmew, jemmow, 6–8 gemmow, 7 gemmey).
[a. OF. gemeaus, pl. of gemel (see gemel) twin. The Eng. sing. is prob. developed from the plural, though in some uses it may have been taken from the later Fr. form gemeau, jumeau of the singular.]
1. pl. Twins: see gemel 1.
| 1382 Wyclif Song Sol. vii. 3 Thi two tetus as two ȝunge capretis, iemews of the she capret. |
b. attrib. or adj. Of a door: Double. Of lines: Parallel. Cf. gemel 1 b.
| 1523 in Kirkpatrick Relig. Ord. Norwich (1848) 170 Within the White Freris, in Norwich, at the Jemowe dore. 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. i. Defin., Paralleles, or Gemowe lynes be suche lines as be drawen foorth still in one distaunce, and are no nerer in one place than in an other. 1674 S. Jeake Arith. (1696) 613 A pair of Parallels or Gemowe Lines. |
2. Her. in pl. (rarely sing.) = gemel 2.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans, Her. B j b, Collaterall is calde in armys the sonnys of the bretheren of the right heyre beryng the cotarmuris of theyr faderis with a dyfferans Jemews. 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 33 b, The fourth beareth Argent, three Barres Gemewes, Sable. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry vi. vii. (1611) 274 A crowne Topaze or griffon's head with wings displaied pearle, gorged with a gemew ruby. |
3. A double ring; = gemel 4. Also gemowe-ring.
| 1497 Will of Butside (Somerset Ho.), A Jemewe of golde. 1552 Huloet, Gymmow or ringe to hange at ones eare as the Egyptians haue, staloginum, inauris. 1562 Lanc. Wills I. 181 On gemewe of silver wyre. 1572 Ibid. II. 262 My beste Jemewe rynge of golde. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 58 Twas a good world..when a ring of a rush would tie as much loue together as a gimmon of gold. 1602 R. T. 5 Goldie Serm., Silver, golde, jemmowes or jewells. 1611 Cotgr., Annelet, a gimmew, or little ring for the finger. 1721 Bailey, Gemmow-Ring, a double Ring in Links. |
4. Any joint or fastening consisting of two parts fitting into each other.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2894 Joynter and gemows he jogges in sondyre! 1463 Bury Wills (Camden) 16 A bagge of grene silk with jemewys of green. 1530 Palsgr. 225/1 Gymewe of a gyrdell, crochet dune troussovere. 1611 Cotgr., Membret d'esperon, the gimmew or ioint of a Spurre. |
5. pl. = gimmals. (See gimmal 5.)
| 1657 W. Morrice Coena Def. §10 Huge Weights hang upon Gemmeys. |
6. A hinge. Cf. gemel 5.
| 1396 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 123 Et in ij paribus de gemus [sic] cum clav. emp. de Johanne de Sutton pro magno hostio in magn. clocher 13d. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 194/2 Gymowe of a sperynge [K. gymmew, S.H. gymew], vert(i)nella, gemella. 1447–8 Durham MS. Alm. Roll, j pare de lez Gemoose. 1510 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 197 A lokke with Gemows for another presse. 1573–80 Baret Alv. G 217 Gimew or henge of a dore. 1657 Howell Londinop. 393 That the Stalls..be flexible, and moveable, viz. to hang by Jewmews or Garnets, so that they may be taken up, and let down. |
Hence † gemew v., in pa. pple. i-jemewd, jointed.
| 1408 tr. Vegetius De Re Mil. iv. xxiii. MS. Roy. 18 A. xii. fol. 110 a, An Iren made as it wer a peir tonges I Iemewd [MS. Douce 291 fol. 106 b, I gymewed] as tonges in the myddes. |