Middle English Dictionary Entry
forhēlen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | forhēlen v. Forms: p. forhal; ppl. forhōle(n, -hōln, -hēled. |
| Etymology | OE forhelan; forhæl; forholen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. forhilen.
1.
(a) To keep (something) secret, to conceal (a thought, an action); (b) to hide or conceal (a person); also, to conceal the identity of (someone); ben forholen, to be unknown or undiscovered; (c) to hide (goods or property).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Þe Iudeus of Noruuic bohton an xpisten cild be foren Estren & pineden him..&..Wenden ð it sculde ben forholen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2473 : Ȝho ne seȝȝde itt naniȝ mann..& ȝhot forrhall wiþþ alle menn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13649 : He ne wile nohht Forrhelenn hise sinness.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)37 : Þah þu ga to bote and forheole summe þine sunna.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)77 : Nis him noht forholen [vrr. forhole, uorhole] nihud..nis hit ne swa derne [idon].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)139 : Ðo ne mihte his holinesse ben no lengere forhole, ac sprong his word wide into al þe worelde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4360 : Þet þu þi þanc al forhele wih þine hiredmonnen.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)9/220 : Forhele hit [Mdst: forhelet] wid þin areȝe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)798 : Ȝif tueie men goþ to wraslinge..þe on can swenges suþe fele, And kan his wrenches wel forhele.
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)237 : Weste hic hit miȝtte ben forholen, Me wolde þunche wel solen Þi wille for to fullen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3512 : Loke ðe wel ðat ðu ne stele, Ne reflac, ne ðefte forhele.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6020 : Þi name telle þou me, & nouȝt forhole it no be.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)462 : Þat þou wost is euel wraþþe, fforhele þou hit nouȝt.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3175 : Hyt may no lenger be forholne, Falsly wurschyp haue y stolne.
- ?a1400 Guy(1) (Sln 1044)627/130 : Tel me soþe, forhele it nouȝt: Whan þenkestow for to wyve?
- a1425 Assump.Virg.(1) (Add 10036)116/192 : Seieþ me now; forhele ȝe nouȝt.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3328 : & tohh þatt Godd wass borenn þær Swa dærnelike onn eorþe..Ne wollde he nohht forrholenn ben.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2593 : Ðre moneð haueð ghe him hid, durste ghe non lengere him forhelen.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6952 : Þi traitour shal ben forhole, ne miȝtton nouȝth wite þi foe.
- ?c1450 Iff a man (Stockh 10.90)311/162 : Ȝif ony thyng be þe stoln And þe thewys wo[l]lyn be forholn, Take þis golde [etc.].
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1747 : Rachel adde hid and forolen Hire faderes godes of gold, & stolen.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)236 : Þing ihid ne þing istole Ne mai nowt longe be forhole.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2428 : Ȝyf þou haue founde a þyng And makyst þerfore none askyng..But forhelest hyt pryuyly..hit ys þefte.
2.
To conceal one's knowledge, be silent; yif thou forhelest, wel thou grauntest, silence gives consent.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)1147 : Forhele [Cai: concele] y nille, Ac al þe soþe ichil þe telle.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.46 : Al þat euer þe of rouȝt, Þou it dest and y forhal.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)570 : Ȝyf þou herdyst a fals þyng..And þou ne wuldest þeraȝen seye..Þou hast synned..Ȝyf þou forhelyst, weyl þou grauntes.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)45 : Thi malice is so michel, thou maist not forhele; but thi venym with vehemens thou spittist al at ones.
3.
To cover up.
Associated quotations
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1063 : A hert with a huge hede..Was to behald as a harow forhelid [Dub: foreheld] ouer þe [Dub: with] tyndis.