Piers Plowman

Piers Plowman Glossary

adder

NOUN

A small venomous Eurasian snake which has a dark zigzag pattern on its back and bears live young. It is the only poisonous snake in Britain.

alms

PLURAL NOUN

money or food given to poor people.

anchorite

NOUN

A religious recluse.

avarice

NOUN

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

bairn

NOUN

(Northern English, Scottish)

A child.

beadle

NOUN

A ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution.

bell the cat

Take the danger of a shared enterprise upon oneself.

bindweed

NOUN

A twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, several kinds of which are invasive weeds.

blazon

NOUN

A coat of arms.

brickbat

NOUN

a piece of brick, when used as a weapon.

buffet

VERB

to strike repeatedly and violently.

bull

NOUN

An edict.

burgher

NOUN

a medieval, early modern European title of a citizen of a town, and a social class from which city officials could be drawn.

calrop

NOUN

iron snares with four prongs, one of which always points upwards when they are placed on the ground.

Canon Law

NOUN

Ecclesiastical law, especially (in the Roman Catholic Church) that is laid down by papal pronouncements.

catpurse

NOUN

A pickpocket or thief.

cavil

VERB

Make petty or unnecessary objections.

chausuble

NOUN

An ornate sleeveless outer vestment worn by a Catholic or High Anglican priest when celebrating Mass.

churl

NOUN

1 A rude and mean-spirited person

2 A peasant.

coney

NOUN

A rabbit

contrition

NOUN

The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.

dissension

NOUN

Disagreement that leads to discord.

dissolute

ADJECTIVE

overindulging in sensual pleasures

duffer

NOUN

An incompetent or stupid person.

epistle

NOUN

A book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle.

Evensong

NOUN

A sunset evening prayer service, also called Vespers

flagon

NOUN

A large container in which drink is served, typically with a handle and spout.

flux

NOUN

Dysentery

funk

VERB

Avoid something out of fear

furrow

NOUN

A long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plough, especially for planting seeds or irrigation.

furze

NOUN

A yellow-flowered shrub of the pea family, the leaves of which are modified to form spines, native to western Europe and North Africa.

Also known as gorse.

gowk

NOUN

An awkward or foolish person (often used as a general term of abuse).

grace

NOUN

(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

haversack

NOUN

A small, strong bag carried on the back or over the shoulder, used especially by soldiers and walkers.

heath

NOUN

An area of open uncultivated land, typically on acid sandy soil, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses.

indulgence

NOUN

historical (in the Roman Catholic Church) a grant by the Pope of remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory still due for sins after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages.

jape

NOUN

A practical joke.

knout

NOUN

a whip used to inflict punishment.

leonine

ADJECTIVE

Of or resembling a lion or lions.

lissom

ADJECTIVE

(of a person or their body) thin, supple, and graceful.

lodestone

NOUN

1. A piece of magnetite or other naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet.

2. A person or thing that is the focus of attention or attraction.

louvre

NOUN

Each of a set of angled slats fixed or hung at regular intervals in a door, shutter, or screen to allow air or light to pass through.

lubberly

ADJECTIVE

Big and clumsy.

Malvern Hills

PROPER NOUN

A range of hills in western England, in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

manumit

VERB

Release from slavery; set free.

mangonal

NOUN

A military device for throwing stones and other missiles.

Middle Earth

NOUN

The world, the earth, regarded as a middle region between heaven and hell, or as occupying the center of the universe.

ostler

NOUN

A man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn.

palsy

NOUN Paralysis, especially that which is accompanied by involuntary tremors.

peasecods

NOUN

The pod or legume of the pea plant; a pea pod, especially one still containing the peas.

phalanx

NOUN

A body of troops or police officers standing or moving in close formation.

pikestaff

NOUN

The wooden shaft of a pike.

popinjay

NOUN

1 A vain or conceited person, especially one who dresses or behaves extravagantly.

2 A parrot.

puce

ADJECTIVE

Of a dark red or purple-brown colour.

remonstrate

VERB

Make a forcefully reproachful protest.

repine

VERB

Feel or express discontent; fret.

rest-harrow

NOUN

A sticky Old World plant of the pea family, which has pink flowers and creeping woody stems with spines.

riposte

NOUN

A quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism.

roister

VERB

Enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy or boisterous way.

salubrious

ADJECTIVE

Health-giving; healthy.

Saracen

NOUN

An Arab or Muslim

shrive

VERB

1 (of a priest) hear the confession of, assign penance to, and absolve.

sendal

NOUN A fine, rich silk material, chiefly used to make ceremonial robes and banners.

snipe

NOUN

A wading bird of marshes and wet meadows, with brown camouflaged plumage and a long straight bill.

sozzled

ADJECTIVE

Very drunk.

sheaf

NOUN

A bundle of grain stalks laid lengthways and tied together after reaping.

suppurate

VERB

Undergo the formation of pus; fester.

swag

NOUN

A decorative garland or chain of flowers, foliage, or fruit fastened so as to hang in a drooping curve.

tabernacle

NOUN

1 (in biblical use) a fixed or movable dwelling, typically of light construction.

1.1 A tent used as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant by the Israelites during the Exodus and until the building of the Temple.

2 A meeting place for worship used by Nonconformists.

3 An ornamented receptacle or cabinet in which a pyx containing the reserved sacrament may be placed in Catholic churches, usually on or above an altar.

3.1 (archaic) A canopied niche or recess in the wall of a church.

thralldom

NOUN

The state of being in someone's power.

toft

NOUN

A homestead.

tonsure

NOUN

A part of a monk's or priest's head left bare on top by shaving off the hair.

in singular: An act of shaving the top of a monk's or priest's head as a preparation for entering a religious order.

VERB

[WITH OBJECT] often as adjective "tonsured"

Give a tonsure to.

traduce

VERB

To speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation.

turn-key

NOUN

A jailer.

usury

NOUN

The action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.

victuals

NOUN

Food or provisions.

vitiate

VERB

Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.

welkin

NOUN

The sky or heaven.

toft

NOUN

a small hill

assize

NOUN

a court which formerly sat at intervals in each county of England and Wales to administer the civil and criminal law.

the Cardinal Virtues

The basic virtues required for a virtuous life, according to the Bible, Old Testament, classical antiquity and in traditional Christian theology:

Prudence, Courage, Temperance, and Justice

hoary

ADJECTIVE

(of a person) old and having grey or white hair.

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