Meanings
plural guiges
- A strap attached to a shield, used to hang the shield over the shoulder or from the neck.
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.
1850, J. Hewitt, “Effigies of the De Sulneys at Newton Solney, Derbyshire”, in The Archaeological Journal, volume 7, page 3611 more example
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.
1824, Archaeologia, Or, Miscellaneous Tracts, Relating to Antiquity, page 509
Origin
- Old Frenchguige
- Middle Englishgige
- Englishguige
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.
More words from Middle English, Old French
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Rhymes with guige
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Cite this entry
guige. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guige
“guige.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guige. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “guige,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guige.
Source: guige on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.