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clef (1113-19)
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clef (1113-19)

Cite this entry
claif;  clé,  cleef;  clief,  clieff,  clif  (claus  TLL ii 97,  clave,  cleuf  Salemon 10756,  cleve)  
  FEW:  clavis 2/i,764a Gdf: ∅ GdfC:  clef 9,106c TL: clef 2,470 DEAF:  clef  DMF:  clef  TLF:  clef  / clé  OED:  clef n.1  MED: ∅ DMLBS:  clavis 357b

s.

1key: 
( s.xii2/4; MS: s.xiiiin )  Od lur [...] clés Unt les us desfermez  thaon Body and Soul (C) 719
( MS: c.1250 )  hec clavis: clef  TLL i 421
( s.xivin; MS: 1382 )  cleket, clef (M.E. keye) et serure  Nominale 468
( 1386 )  un cheste ové  (ed. one) deux claves  Grocers 66
♦herald.(as an armorial bearing) key: 
( c.1280; MS: c.1280 )  W. le C., l’escu de azur od treis clefs d'or  Eight Rolls 73.166
♦fig.key, dominion: 
( s.xii2/4; MS: s.xiii2/4 )  Tu deis les clés del ciel tenir, Paradis clore e aovrir  Conception wace 1583
( s.xiiiin; MS: s.xiii2 )  Ceo dist li rois: ‘Boves, sa venez. Jeo vus renke de Engletere le clef’  Boeve 2458
2liturgicaltimeeccl.date of key feasts in the ecclesiastical calendar: 
( 1113-19; MS: s.xii3/3 )  cumpot pur cunter […] Les termes e les clés E les festes anvels  Comput ANTS 54
3musicclef: 
( s.xiii2; MS: s.xiv1/4 )  Les clefs, les tons de musike […] savoit  Serm Rawlinson 92
clef d'Engleterre
'Key to England', Dover castle (as a key fortress guarding the narrowest part of the Channel): 
( c.1259; MS: c.1259 ) Le chastel de Dovre, l’entree e la clef de la riche isle de Engletere  Iter paris 153
( c.1259; MS: c.1259 ) Dovera, real chastel, clef d'Engletere  Iter paris 188

See also:

keye 
This is an AND2 Phase 1 (A-E) entry © 2000-2006 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. On-line entry partially revised after the print version of AND2 went to press (2007-03-22) The printed edition of AND2 A-E is published by Taylor & Francis for the MHRA, sole owners of the print-media publication rights. All other rights reserved. Digitisation funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
clef