Middle English Dictionary Entry
gāble n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | gāble n.(1) Also gabel, -il, -ul & gavel, -eil, -il, gawel, gaule. |
| Etymology | ON (cp. OI gafl) & OF (from Gmc.) gable, jable. Also cp. OE gafol, geafel a fork. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A gable of a building; also, a façade; (b) ~ ende, ~ wal, ~ wough, the end wall surmounted by a gable, gable end; ~ forke, a gable; ~ windou, a window in a gable; (c) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.191].
Associated quotations
a
- (1347-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99207 : In factura gabell antiqui scacarii Elemosinarie.
- (1359-60) Sacrist R.Ely 2194 : vj ymagines apud le Gablez.
- (c1380) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99132 : Pro iij Ganeyls [read: Gaueyls] in eadem domo, iij s.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3571 : Breke an hole an heigh vpon the gable.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.48 : Woldist þou glase þe gable [vrr. gabul, gauyll] & graue þere þin name, Siker shulde þi soule be heuene to haue.
- (1420) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8516 : William of Alne hafes a upperyghte gavell.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)183 : Gabyl, or gable, pykyd walle: Murus conalis.
- (1443) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 828 : For a barre to ye wyndow yn ye gabul..viii d.
- (1454-5) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103634 : Pro factura unius Gavill in granario Avenarum.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)204 : Wyde as a chirche that hath a gabyl.
- (1474-5) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100289 : In le dalbyng et le wyndyng interclose wallez, sydewallez, gawellez.
- a1475(1456) ?Bokenham Lineage Clare (ArmsV Clare Roll)475 : Hir armes of glas in the est gable.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)382/5,6 : Symon..graunted..that lond aforsaid with the half of the gabill of his house where he dwelled so that the gable shold be to theym commune.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)54a : A gavyll of a howse: frontispicium.
b
- (1371) Halmote R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.82111 : Agn' reparabit unam grangiam de uno pare de siles et duobus gauilforks.
- (1378) Halmote R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.82150 : iij coppell de silles et ij gavelforcs.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)46/299 : In þe gable ende of þe churche Ben þreo wyndouwus of noble worche.
- (1392) in Salzman Building in Engl.97 : [The Fire-house, containing five couples of syles and two] gavel forkis.
- (1392) *MS Lincoln Chapter Acts Vol.VI fo.51v.[OD col.] : Murus vocatus le Gable Wale existens in medio ecclesiae.
- (1403) in Salzman Building in Engl.310 fn. : Ly gabilwowes.
- (1427) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)163/7 : The v day of Juyn next Folewyng Was maad the foundement of the West gabilende of the halle.
- (1432) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)214/25 : Item, paie a Wat pur scaffeldedyng all glasyer dell gabyll Wyndow de mon mayster Knollysz.
- (1433) Agree.Troutbeck in Earwaker Hist.St.Mary31 : On gable wyndow in the est ende with iiij lightes.
- (1442) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 7116 : John Walschef v dayys to take a down ye gabul wall.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1354 : In the est ende of the seide Quere shal be sette a grete gable windowe of vii daies and ij butterases..the wallis in height xx fete, with gable wyndowes and side windowes.
- (1450) RParl.5.182b : His Innest Chambre, with a Gavill Wyndowe over a Cloyster, within his Paleys of Westm'.
- (1464) Doc.in Rec.B.Nottingham 2374 : Paied for a lode cley to dawbe þe gavulende with, iij d.
- (1469-72) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31529 : Payed..for amendyng of the Gable ende in the Garet, and nailys, to the same hows.
- (a1472) Acc.Bodmin in Camd.n.s.1413 : For the chanseler dore and the gabell windowe.
c
- (1338) EPNSoc.21 (Cum.)389 : Le Heye del Mykelgavel. le heye del Mikelgaule.