Middle English Dictionary Entry
dismā̆l n. & adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | dismā̆l n. & adj. Also disemal(e, dismol(e, dismele. |
| Etymology | OF phr. *dis mal unlucky days. The OF adj. mal has the variants mau, maul, mol, mel, of which the last two are reflected in ME. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) in the ~, in days of misfortune or disaster, under inauspicious circumstances, at an unlucky time; (b) ~ dai, one of the two days in each month which were considered unlucky, a day of disaster; cp. Egipcien daies.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1300) Songs Langtoft (Cmb Gg.1.1)p.303 : Begkot an bride, Rede him at ride in the dismale [rime: liale].
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)305 : Þou dotest nou in þin olde tos in þe dismale [rime: pale].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)14591 : Thei scholde now be euel a-tasted, Thei graunt the trewes In the dismole [rime: hole].
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1206 : I trowe hyt was in the dismal [rime: withal], That was the ten woundes of Egipte.
b
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2893 : He hath pronounced..his Cleer conceyte..her dysemol [vrr. dismoll, dysmole, dysmele] daies and her fatal houres.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)650 : For the Pardonere it was a dismol day.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)93 : A waytiþ not þeis Egipcian daies þat we call dysmal.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 *Medulla (Cnt D.2)39a/b : Dierectus: dies malus, dysemale.
Note: Postdates word
Note: Belongs to sense (a). Add gloss before phrase: "As a literal translation of the Latin collocation dies malus.--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)188/18 : Þe dais dysemolle [Ashm: daies of perilles] be vij.
Note: New phrase under sense (b): daies ~, unlucky days. NF 'disemolle'.