Middle English Dictionary Entry
frēl(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | frēl(e adj. Also frail(e, frale. |
| Etymology | OF fraile, frele (from L fragilis). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of things: easily broken or destroyed, fragile, weak; of persons: subject to injury or disease, physically weak, infirm.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.14.1 : A more frele [WB(2): frelere] tree.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1078 : The body that whilom was syk, freele and feble and mortal, is inmortal and so strong and so hool [etc.].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.6.42 : What thyng shaltow fynde more freele than is mankynde, the whiche men ful ofte ben slayn by bytynge of smale flyes?
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)177 : Freyl, and brokulle, or brytylle: Fragilis.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)579 : Wee be frayle as glass And also bretyll, not tough.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.104 : What is þe mortal body?..A freeler þyng þow schal nowhere ifynde Þat lesse haþ of power or of myght.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)459/23 : I am sett in a frele seatt, oute of þe whilk I am ferde daylie to fall.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)50/17 : Al men dyen feble, freel, ful of passions; bot aftyr this lyfe, the chosen creaturs schal arise and be stronge, stable..and immortalle.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)145/22 : Slepe is to vs mercyabil lafte of oure lorde..to recreacyone of mannes freel febilnesse.
2.
Of fortune, happiness, honor, law, life, the world: subject to decay or change, not to be depended upon, changeable, transitory.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.8.3 : That was vnpossible to the lawe, in what thing it was syk, or freel [L infirmabatur], by fleisch.
- c1390 I wolde witen (Vrn)83 : Þis world is fals, fikel and frele, And fareþ but as a fantasye.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)185 : Vre lyf is frele [L dubia & fragilis] Þat to vs alle is ȝiuen.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.48 : Þe fende and oure flesch and þis frele worlde.
- c1400 St.Alex.(2) (Trin-O 57)44/279 : Herynge [vr. worshipe] of man ne kepte he noȝt, þat frel is atte ende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1983 : [Fortune's] false whele..freel, deuoide of sikernesse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.10.35 : Yif ther be a blisfulnesse that be freel and veyn and inparfyt, ther may no man doute that ther nys som blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and parfyt.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)23.147 : Erthely ȝiftes ben freel & Mevable, & hevenely ben stedfast & Euere durable.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.175 : Þere is an inperfite felicite Of freel and febil good.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2482 : How freele is werldly welefare.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)6 : Non lyuyng in þis frel lif is simply wiþout synne, non but Crist.
- a1500 GLitany (Dc 42)127 : By the freylle nature off oure that it plesid the te take..haue mercy on vs.
3.
(a) Of persons: morally weak, unstable in mind or spirit; lacking courage; ~ of kind, unstable by nature; ~ (for) to sin, prone to sin, sinful; (b) of faith, the mind, human nature, youth, etc.: weak, sinful, easily led astray; (c) of the flesh, the body: prone to sin; ~ flesh, weak or sinful flesh.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)34/546 : Þe þride was a wommon clen, þat is more frele of kuynde þen mon.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)529 : Siþen þou art so frele of kuynde Wilde bestes to doute, Doute wel more wikked men.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.158 : Hue ys freel of hure faith and fikel of hure speche.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)278 : They been so freel, they mowe hem nat restreyne, But whoso lykith may hem lightly haue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1855 : [Women's] hertes ben so freel and vnstable.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)14/13 : Wher þat he fyndyth us most freel, þer..he leyth hys snar.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)113 : Siche as syne most frely be gladly ffreel and ignorant.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)53/10 : Ech man is freel and passionable, and þerfore..temptable in his resoun.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)387 : Ful wys she was..Nat frel, fadyng, but ful of affiaunce.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)165 : We ben ful freel and forȝeteful.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)421 : Hit ys lelly not like..Þat suche ferlies shuld fall in a frale woman.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.403 : Gildas rehersethe Wallche men to be frayle [Trev.Higd.: variable; L fragiles], not stable in pease.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1185 : The causers and movers first of loue Been the eyen and eeris of freall man.
b
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)137 : Vr feiþ is frele to flecche & folde, For treuþe is put to luytel prise.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.838 : Love hath mad him a querele Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5741 : Ne mene þou noght Of my freyle unknawynges of thoght.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)122/5 : Sensualite, þat is so freell, sliper and redy to lufe, likand bewte of þis warld, oft-tymes makes me synne.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)47/290 : The beautee..Made hym of na poair, his lustes frele For to abstene.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)831 : I am ferd..of þi frele yowth.
- (?1464) Paston (Gairdner)4.119 : I have perfite knowlich of your freel and naturall disposiseon.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.83 : Her flessh and her frelle þouȝtis.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)385/1 : Mannes mynde is so frele, þat hit fallith lightely fro good purpos.
c
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.49 : Heo wolde vn-souwen hire smok and setten þer an here, Forte fayten hire Flesch þat Frele [vrr. fers; fresch] was to synne.
- c1390 Maidstone PPs.(Vrn)44 : Flesch ful ffrele and fayn to falle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.289 : The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)4302 : Mannes flesshe he [loue] makeþ ful frele.
- a1425 Templ.Dom.(Add 32578)667 : Þi frele flesch þu sall doune felle With þe swerde of temperaunce.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.13 : My synful body is fals and frele.
- c1440 Ihesu þi swetnes (Thrn)95 : My frele flesche makes me blynde.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.93 : His fraill flesshe with hym dide stryve.
4.
As noun: moral weakness, sinfulness; also, an instance of it.
Associated quotations
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick3.230 : That ye diligently see to thoe of your susters that of freyle hafe fallen.
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)47 : Also ouercomes ye holy men ye frellez of ye flesche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Changed 'infirmabatus' to 'infirmabatur' in 1st quot. under 2.--JL