Middle English Dictionary Entry
dul adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | dul adj. Also dulle, dol(le, doule. |
| Etymology | OE dol; ?also *dylle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. dil.
1.
(a) Not sharp of edge or point, blunt, dull; (b) not bright or intense, dark; of sound: low or lower in pitch, deep, flat; maken ~, to lessen (heat) in intensity, moderate.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230 *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)79b : Idoluen wið þe dulle [Nero: dulte] neiles..swa weren þe neiles dulle [Nero: dulte] þer ha duluen his flesch.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)285a/a : Lest he [elephant tusk] schulde wexe dulle [L hebetetur] wiþ contynual smytyng and rubbyng.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)147b/b : Kitte it wiþ dulle [*Ch.(1): fnatted; L obtusis] scheres.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10548 : Parys cast at the kyng..Þre darttes noght dole.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)105 : The poynte of thys knyf is dulle [L obtusus].
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)134 : Dule [Hrl 221: Dulle] off egge: Obtusus.
b
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)34b/a : Hete is made more dulle [*Ch.(1): is more dulled; L magis ebetatur] in ham.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Cock (Hrl 2255)38 : Al is dul shadwe, whan Phebus is doun goon.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.355 : Thei begynne with a softe noyce and tune and pleyenge priuely vnder a dulle [Trev.: deepe; L obtuso] sounde of a more grosse corde returne to the same.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)2055 : She [Dame Musica] taught these nootes by hyr monycord..And as she leyngthyd and shortyd the cord, Whyche hygh, whyche lowe, whyche sharp and whyche ys dulle, Of all these notes taught she.. Theyr variaunce.
2.
Of the wits: slow, dull, not sharp or quick; of a person or animal: not clever, slow of mind, dull-witted, stupid; ~ witted.
Associated quotations
- c1225 St.Kath.(1) (Tit D.18)1268 : Hwat nu, unwreaste men..of dul wit!
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.409 : He lefte þe duller [vr. doller] men to kepe..Macedonia, and hadde wiþ hym þe scharpest witted men.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.467 : Dyvers manere of soules..beeþ witted [Higd.(2): pregnante; L nitent] in a cleer day, and dul witted [vr. dol wyttet] in an hevy.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.129 : Þou dotest..Dulle [C (Hnt): dolle] are þi wittes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.947 : Mi wittes ben so dulle That I ne mai noght..Atteigne to so hih a lore.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.279 : Here is the reuel..That is nat able a dul man to deuyse He most han..been a festlich man.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259a/a : Þe asse dulle of witte [L stolidus].
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)88 : Thow sore shalt repente Thy lightlees wittes dull, of reson derke!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.735 : Lik an asse..That hereth sown..But in his mynde of that no melodie May sinken..for that he So dul is of his bestialite?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.5.17 : Hir [beasts'] faces enclyned hevyeth hir dulle wittes.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)116 : Deffe, or dulle:..agrestis.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Look TM (Hrl 2255)125 : Kynde..can..Set differencys..Twen a dul masoun and Pigmalioon.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)2871 : Thy wyt ys blont & dul.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)1.20 : Though þis be derklich endited for a dull nolle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)40a : To be Dull: asininare, hebere.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.11 : I am full dull and ryȝt unwyse, As beestys that kan no resoun take.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)564 : Thaugh he were..a dulle mule.
3.
(a) Incapable of movement or sensation, benumbed, insensible; (b) sluggish, lethargic, inactive; apathetic, indolent; disinclined (to do sth.); (c) depressed by trouble or sorrow, dispirited, dejected; of the heart: heavy; of the countenance: sorrowful.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.150 : Mi limes ben so dull, I mai unethes gon the pas.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)3564 : Whenne þat he bicomeþ olde..his body waxeþ drye & dulle [Vsp: His blode þan wexus dri and cald].
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)162 : Although that thow be dul, Yit that thow canst not do, yit mayst thow se.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)270 : To delvyn up his boonys dul and rude.
b
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)289 : Ȝif þin herte be dul & merk & þou felest nouþur wit ne sauour ne deuocion for to þenke.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.706 : Sompnolence..maketh a man be heuy and dul in body and in soule.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1948 : The bodi fat and full Is unto gostli labour dull.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2491 : Thou, so dul in every thing Were domm for drede.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)40/526 : Sum tyme of solace haue þai nede, Els sall þai be dull in þaire dede.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5316 : In armys he was neuer founde dull, But euer ilich[e] fressh in his entent.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.2707 : To punshe hym mor Pharactes wexeth dull.
- (1447) Shillingford25 fn. : To make me dulle to labore for the right that y am sworne to.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)6a : He schal scheten..fersliche, vengyng him on his enemyes þat dolle ben and slowe.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)33/7 : In labours þey byn as dulle as was Tantalus.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)93/16 : The flewmatike is naturaly doule and slowe.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.186 : I pray for all the hertis dull, That lyven here in sleuth and ignorance.
c
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1118 : Now was his herte dul, now was it light.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.4310 : With dreed he is appeired..Dul of his cheer as is a cloudi sterre.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9258 : Hevy they were and dull of chere.
- c1450(c1393) Chaucer Scog.(Benson-Robinson)45 : Scogan, that knelest at the stremes hed Of grace, of alle honour and worthynesse, In th'ende of which strem I am dul as ded.
- c1450 ABCArist.(Lamb 853)p.260 : D to dul [vr. Dulle], ne to dreedful.
4.
Tedious, uninteresting; ?trivial, foolish.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5763 : Vn-to þe Grekis I wil ageyn retourne, And with dul stile on þe story trace.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)27a : Ȝoure owne dedes of armes freliche renewed day be day..ouerpassiþ eny dole dedes of armes þat men now finde writen.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)50 : Homer..feynet myche fals..Ouyd and othir þat onest were..dampnet his dedys & for dull holdyn.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7868 : Þere-as men are so mony..Þof the syngle mon say, & it sothe be, Hit is demyt for dulle, & done out of heryng.
5.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1185) in Pipe R.Soc.34207 : Godwinus Dul.
- (1212) Bk.of Fees111 : Quedam femina, Dolewif nomine.
- (1250) Bk.of Fees1221 : Hamo Dulle.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2425 : Alice le Dul.
- (1293) Bk.of Fees1311 : Willelmus Dulle Sperke.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18183 : Johannes Dolle.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 5231 : Willelmus Dolman.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283) 10399 : Miche pepill doothe sacrifice in fastyng, in pilgrimage, and in sharpenesse of bodye, but to doo almesse theye be dulle, scarse, and streite.
Note: Ed.: "dulle: 'niggardly' ([F] merde [D MS = rudes])."
Note: ?New sense.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 Harv.lat.235 Artist.Recipes (Harv lat.235) 293/21 : Lay a dowle blew, and wane hit drie lay þeron a god fyn ȝolow.
Note: Additional quot., sense 1.(b). ?Modify sense to include 'of color'. New spelling (dowle).