Middle English Dictionary Entry
gail(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | gail(e n. Also gale, gagel, gaighel, gau(e)l, gael. |
| Etymology | OE gagel |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Bog myrtle (Myrica gale), sweet gale; ~ sed, gale seed; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.192].
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)559/22 : Mirtus: gagel.
- (1352) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.66 : [200 quarters of] gayghelsed [and 50 quarters of] murstardsed.
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)22 : Gayl: mirta.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)74/13 : Þise may be added to:..moleyne, plantane, gawel.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)189 : Gawl, fowayle [vr. gavl, or gawyl, wode or fowayl]: Mirtus.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)66/30 : Herbes þat are hate..louache, flour of gayle, pitory.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4094 : Sone was he dreuyn..in-to a dryi meere Was full of gladen & of gale.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)254/22 : Take..rubarbe, ru, gayle, mercury.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)114/21 : Take..endiue, sowthistill, gawle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)53a : Gayll: hic Mirtus, Mircetum locus vbi crescet.
b
- (1267) in Ekwall Dict.EPN182 : Gaeleg.