guige

See also: guīgé

English

Etymology

In early uses, inherited from Middle English gige, and in more recent times re-borrowed from (or respelled according to) that word's source, Old French guige.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡiːʒ/, /ɡiːd͡ʒ/
• Rhymes: -iːʒ, -iːdʒ

Noun

guige (plural guiges)

1. A strap attached to a shield, used to hang the shield over the shoulder or from the neck.
   • 1824, Archaeologia, Or, Miscellaneous Tracts, Relating to Antiquity, page 509:

     The shape of the shield at this period […] has at the top of its right side what was called the bouche or mouth through which the lance was couched, as may be seen in Rous's work, to which I have so often referred, and the invention of which was as old as the time of Richard II. Within side are hooks and rings for the guige, and straps to attach it to the arm.

   • 1850, J. Hewitt, “Effigies of the De Sulneys at Newton Solney, Derbyshire”, in The Archaeological Journal, volume 7, page 361:

     The shield, slung by its guige across the right shoulder, is slightly bowed, and has been triangular in its outline. No trace of armorial device or tincture can now be found on its surface.

See also

• enarmes

Anagrams

• gigue

Old French

Etymology

Frankish *widdja, which is probably related to Proto-Germanic *wiskaz (“bundle of straw, hay”) and modern Dutch wis (“twig, shoot”).

Noun

guige oblique singular, f (oblique plural guiges, nominative singular guige, nominative plural guiges)

1. guige (strap)

Descendants

• → Middle English: gige
  • → English: guige