Middle English Dictionary Entry
heilen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | heilen v. Also hailen, heȝlen. |
| Etymology | From heil adj. & interj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. heilsen.
1.
To greet or address (sb.) with the salutation 'hail!'
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2814 : He wollde swa Allmæhhtiȝ Drihhtin heȝȝlenn.
- c1330 Horn Child (Auch)363 : Sche haylett hem wiþ winne [rime: ginne].
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)267/504 : Þei drouh to him ful ȝare And heiled him wiþ louely fare.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.147 : Ioseph Mette Metels..How þe sonne and þe Mone and enleuene sterres Falden bi-fore his Feet and heileden him alle.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)9.10 : Ich heilede [vrr. hailside, halsed, grette] hem hendeli, as Ich hedde I-leorned.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)17819 : Þei heiled [Ld: haylid; Vsp: hailsed; Göt: halsid] hem wiþ muchel fare.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)233 : Heylyn, or gretyn: Saluto.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.403 : Lik as Cayin his brothir gan to heylle, So dide Iudas to Crist Sawn faille.
- a1450 Rolle FLiving (Lamb 853)40/16 : Also þerto heile ofte marie boþe day & nyȝt.
- a1500 Amis (Dc 326)351 : And he hailed [Auch: gret] that free.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)178 : Þe squier nolde nat down lyght, Bot haylis [Thrn: haylsede] this Eorl opone hyght.
2.
(a) To drink toasts; (b) ~ in, ~ on, ~ to, to drink to (sb.) with a toast.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 Doomsday (Dgb 86)st.56 : Nou shulen þis wormes wonien þe wiþinne, Ne shalt þou neuere hailen wiþ nappe to þe pinne.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14968 : Heo..þus hailede [Otho: haillede] him on, þe swicfulle wimman, 'Lauerd king, wæshail!'
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18573 : For the king him wæs glad wið, & for he hailede in [Otho: haylede to] his wif.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)130 : And haileed here fadir & here modir.
Note: New spelling for sense 1.
Note: Need date
Note: There is just a chance this could be an error for hailced var. of heilsen v.--per MJW
Note: This is an odd pret. form. Ed. thinks the poet is consciously using archaic language.