ford

Posted on by

ford, m.n: ford; a shallow place, natural or artificial, across a stream, river or other water, by which a crossing can be made. (FORD / ˈfɔrd)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a woman standing on a grassy bank holding a child beside a river, in which floats a boat holding a man and child.
Smithfield Decretals; France, illuminated in England (London?), c. 1340; British Library, Royal 10 E IV, f. 122v. [thijsporck.com]

scill

Posted on by

scill, f.n: a shell, shellfish; the shell of an egg, a scale of a fish, serpent, etc. (SHILL / ˈʃɪl)

A fairly unconvincing but amusing drawing of a mollusk poking its head out of its spiky shell.
A collection of medical texts including Tractatus de herbis; Italy, c. 1280-1350; British Library, Egerton MS 747, f. 18v. [iiif.bl.uk]

ymb-fæþmian

Posted on by

ymb-fæþmian, wk.v: to embrace, clasp. (umb-FATH-mi-ahn / ymb-ˈfæθ-mɪ-an)

Read this month’s Mōnaþ-spell (monthly update) on Patreon.

Note: If you decide to join Patreon, please do it through the website, not through the iOS app. Apple has started charging 30% extra for people who subscribe through the app.

Happy Hug A Medievalist Day! St Mary embracing St Elisabeth in the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine; France, c. 1185; Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB 76 F 13, f. 15r. [commons.wikimedia.org]

gnyrran

Posted on by

gnyrran, wk.v: (of the teeth) to gnash, grind, chatter. (G’NUR-rahn / ˈgnyr-ran)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a fish with large tusks and lots of teeth leaping over a current of water.
A fish known as an exposita from Jacob van Maerlant’s Der Naturen Bloeme; Flanders, c. 1350; Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, KA 16, f. 105v. [bestiary.ca]