n.
(1) 'deep pool of water'; (2) 'a space underground (as source of a stream)'
(Modern English )Two different identifications have been proposed for golf at Pe 608 (‘oþer goteʒ of golf þat neuer charde’): (1) The simplest explanation, favoured by most commentators (thus OED, MED, Osgood and Goll), is to read it as instance of MnE gulf < from OFr golfe. (2) EVG (608n and Gordon and Onions 1933: 176) alternatively suggests derivation from ON, cp. OIcel golf 'floor, room, compartment' (if identical with PDE N dial. goave, goaf, on which see further OED), in context indicating a deep source. ME golf < ON golf otherwise means 'heap of sheaves in a barn'.
PGmc Ancestor
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
(2) golf 'floor, room, compartment'
(ONP (2) golf (sb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
Far gólv, Icel gólf, Norw dial golv, Dan gulv, Sw golv
OE Cognate
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
DD2
(1) MED gives a handful of widespread citations in ME, more common in MnE; (2) PDE dial. goave, goaf 'hollow, depression' is N, and ME golf, MnE goaf 'heap of sheaves in a barn' is characterisitically E Angl (MED, OED).
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
Pe 608