Middle English Dictionary Entry
heilsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | heilsen v. Also hailsen, hailcen, hailesen, helsen. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI heilsa. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. heilen.
1.
(a) To greet (sb.), usually with respect, honor, or reverence; salute; also, address (sth.) with reverence; (b) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Heile sterne (Bod 425)5 : Takand and hailsand was þou faine, Thurght gabrols mough and maine.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5156 : Quen þai come all wit in a rutte, And hailsand [Göt: Haylisand; Trin-C: heilsynge] forwit him þai lute.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8164 : Son quen þai mete wit þis heremit, Þai hailsed [Göt: haylced; Trin-C: heilsed] him.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17819 : Þai hailsed þaim wit suetli suar, Wit kissing wirscip þai þam bar.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21552 : Up he ras..And spak wit a blithful voice, Þe tre þus hailsand o þe croice, 'Godd þe lok, croice, precius thing!'
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.82 : I hailside [vrr. hailsed, hailse; halside, heilede, Grette] hym as hendely as I his frend were.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)7.160 : Þe mone and þe sonne, And þe elleuene sterres hailsed hym alle.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)612 : As to God þe good mon gos hem agaynez, And haylsed hem in onhede, and sayde: 'Hende Lorde.'
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)386 : Whoso honoured hyr anythyng Or haylsed hyr at hyr metyng..Scho thankyd god ay of þat doyng.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1389 : Þai keped him in riche wede..Þai hailsed him ful curtaysly And also al his cumpany.
- ?a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (RwlPoet 175:Napier)p.461 : Þai come bifor þe Emperoure, And hailsed him with gret honoure.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)135/11 : Þare er fewles also spekand of þaire awen kynde; and þai will hails [Tit: saluen] men þat com thurgh þe desertez.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 25.13 : Þo kenge Agrippa ande men of Baronye come vnto Cesarie to Festus, forto hayls hym.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1058 : Thane he dressede..Raykez towarde þe renke..And hyely hailsez þat hulke with hawtayne wordez.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)209 : Ilkone haylseste oþer with grete wepynge.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)108/15 : And haylce [vr. hayls] oft Mary, bath day and nyght.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4987 : We prise not þi person to hailse, Ne worship the as worthy.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)562 : He helsyd them os hende.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5922 : Þe schipmen wendys to þe priour, And haylsid him with honour; he said saluz agayne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)202/15 : The kynge..haylesed hym [a giant] with angirfull wordys: 'Now He that all weldys geff the sorow, theeff, there thou syttes!'
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)20 : Þe stuard, countroller, and tresurere, Sittand at de deshe, þou haylse in fere.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2632 : She hailsed hym and he her grette.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1139 : When Tryamowre come in to the halle, He haylesed the kyng and sythen all.
b
- (1309) Pat.R.Edw.II239 : Walter Heylsegod.
2.
= halsen v. (1).
Associated quotations
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)152/24 : Þe lowe man of hert..hailseþ [Corp-C: halseð] hym by his deþ on þe rode.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.71 : I..hailside [vr. hailised] hire on þe heiʒe name..What he were witterly.