Middle English Dictionary Entry
fleil n.
Entry Info
| Forms | fleil n. Also flail, fleel, flael, flaiel. |
| Etymology | Orm's fleȝȝl points to an OE *flegel (corresp. to OHG flegil), of which LOE fligel seems to be a variant. ME fleil , flail comes partly from OE, partly from OF flael, flaiel (L flagellum). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Instrument used for threshing grain, a flail; (b) cap of a ~, ~ cap, one of the bands of wood or leather (fastened about the end of the flail staff or the end of the swingle) through which the thong or band between the two sections of the flail passes; ~ staf, the section of the flail used as a handle; ~ swingel, swingel of a ~, the section of a flail with which the grain is struck, swingle, swipple; (c) ?fleil land, land held (or originally held) in consideration of the tenant's yearly assistance to the lord of the manor at threshing time [cp. Vinogradoff, Villainage 170].
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1500 : Þa þresshesst tu þin corn wiþþ fleȝȝl.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.174 : Þenne Faytors for fere flowen to Bernes, And flapten on with fleiles from morwe til euen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)125a/a : He is I peynt wiþ a fleile [L flagello] þrossching corn.
- a1400 12 PTrib.(1) (Roy 17.B.17)50 : Þo strok of þo flayle gares þo corne passe oute of þo chaf.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)664 : Flagellum: flayle.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)67 : Ilkon toke a blak hat insted of a crest..And a flayle in þer hande, for to fyght prest.
- a1500 By thys fyre (Dgb 88)9 : With my flayll I erne my brede.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)61 : Cappe of a fleyle: Meditentum [Win: Mediteritrum].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)165 : Fleyl cappe: Cappa. Fleyl staffe or honde staffe [vr. handyll]: Manutentum. Fleyle swyngyl [?MS: swyngyl fleyle]: Virga.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)482 : Swengyl of a fleyle or oþer lyke: Feritorium.
c
- a1400 Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1487 : De consuetudinibus dicunt, quod quælibet virgata de fleyland reddit tredecim denarios.
2.
(a) A whip; a scourge; also fig.; (b) ?the clapper of a bell.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)521 : Flael, estril, et cyuere: Fleel, horscombe, and barewe.
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)84/89 : Fleyles on hym gun flynge, þey flapped on his feire flesch.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)521 : O lord God..aftir thi fleil Of tribulacion, weel can þou sende Thi schynyng counfor[t].
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)796 : With flayllis of Iryne lange & grete, Fra bake to syde he garte þam hym bete.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.139 : Takenge a flayle [Trev.: whippes; L flagella] in theire honde, ferenge theire seruauntes and dryvenge theyme aweye.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)209/11 : Yf the hors thrugh betinge and flaielinge and the oxe with harde prikkinge drawe out thaire cartes of the deepe and foule weyes, also I beleeue that the flaiell [CQ(2): scourge] of the diuine iustice .. shall meeue us to take corage for to bringe vs out of this infortune.
- a1500(?a1450) St.Dor.(1) (Hrl 5272)151 : Alle to-raced was hire body..Withe fleylis brusched fulle cruelly.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)2999 : A Fauchon of stele..flaelles ther [read: thre] of yre..thre gret slegges.
- c1500(1342) The fals fox (Cmb Ee.1.12)21 : The good-man came out with his flayle, And smote the fox vpon the tayle.
b
- (1347) *Acc.Bridgwater (PRO)968/17 : In ij fleylis pro eisdem [campanis] emptis.
3.
A pivoting bar (for bolting a gate).
Associated quotations
- 1349 *Acc.Exch.K.R.471/3.m.3 [OD col.] : Pro porta aquatica et pur le fleyl eiusdem porte, xij d.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.176 : Item, for j newe keye to þe Fleyle of our grete gate, with þe mendynge of þe same lok.
- (1448-50) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)309/39 : A lokke for þe fleyle of þe gate.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)206 : Merlin caught the flayle [OF flael] of the yate and plukked it to hym and yede oute as lightly as it hadde not haue ben lokked.