Middle English Dictionary Entry
crẹ̄pel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | crẹ̄pel n. Also crebulle, croepel & crip(p)el, crup(p)el. Pl. crep(e)les & criples, crup(p)eles. |
| Etymology | OE crēopel & crypel; akin to crẹ̄pen creep; cp. also OI kryppill. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cripple; (b) ?a dwarf; (c) surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/471 : Beo þe cnotte icnut eanes of wedlac, beo he cangun oðer crupel..þu most to him halden.
- ?a1300 Thrush & N.(Dgb 86)118 : Hoe fedde a crupel in hire bour.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)51/157 : Tweie crupeles þat in heore limes al fur-crokede were..leien in þe wey.
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)771 : Ant a cripel eke anon Ther him strahte ant myhte gon.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)218 : The crepul in the wilbarewe.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)90/1683 : Summe were crupeles in carres led.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1854 : The wyn can make a krepel sterte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14370 : Do crepels [Frf: criplis; Göt: creplis; Trin-C: crupeles] gan, þe blind haf sight.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)103 : Þay ben boþe blynde and balterande cruppelez.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1458 : It is ful hard to halten unespied Byfore a crepel, for he kan the craft.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)418/209 : Sturdy hertis to grace he shal enclyne..and make creplis goon.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.55 : Now as a crepil lowe, coorbid doun.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4321 : A crebulle byside þe Abbay..dude dwelle, Þe whiche was a seke, maymot wreche.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2396 : The cripill be-gan to speke.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1033/13 : A crypple was made hole by knyghtes merveylous.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)213/1975 : They sleth..Crepullis [vr. þe lame] þat yeden with her croche.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)73 : Thei sye a crepell that semed blinde.
b
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)29b : A Crepyll: hic tantillus [cp. A Dwarghe: hic tantillus].
c
- (1303) Acc.Chester in LCRS 5930 : Alice Crepel.
- (1324) Court R.Lan.in LCRS 4159 : Richard Crippil.
- (1378) in Davenport Nrf.Manorp.lxii : Item, liberatae Roberto Creppele ballivo.
2.
In place names: a low opening in a wall; also, a burrow, den [see Smith PNElem. 1.118].
Associated quotations
- (1218) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)21 : Crupelgate.
- (c1230) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)21 : Croepelgate.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)21 : Crupplegate.
- (1300) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)422 : Cripelesballe.
- (1334) Let.Bk.Lond.F (Gldh LetBk F)4 : [William de Pertenhale..of the Ward of] Crepelgate [Within..John Marchaunt, etc. of the Ward of] Crepelgate [Without].
- (1337) Let.Bk.Lond.F (Gldh LetBk F)9 : [Repair of the gates of Aldresgate and] Crepelgate.
- (1372) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.148 : [The anchorite at] Crepelgate.
- (a1400) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)430 : Crepelestrete.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.24/21 : This same olde mane..hadde bilid the Chirche of seynt Gylys at the gate of the Cyte that ynne englissh tonge is callid Cripilgate.
- (1435-6) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)196 : [The following men of each Ward..] Crepulgate [Thomas Martyn].