Middle English Dictionary Entry
killen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | killen v. Also kil(le, kiln, kilen, kulle(n, culle(n, kelle & (in surnames) cul(e-, kele-. Forms: p. killed(e, kulled, culled, kelled(e & kild(e, kulde, culde; ppl. killed, ekilled, i)culled, cuilled & kild, i)kilde, kilt(e, ikuld(e, culd, i)keld. |
| Etymology | ?OE *cyllan, from older *kwuljan; akin to cwellan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To strike (sb.), hit; assault; ~ of, strike off (sb.'s head); ~ on (upon), charge on (sb.), beat upon (sth.); also fig.; (b) ~ doun, to strike (sb.) down, kill; ~ into (to) deth, kill (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20319 : Ofte me hine smæt mid smærte ȝerden; ofte me hine culde swa me deð crosce.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)67/9 : Þah a word culle ful hearde up o þe breoste..þench..& underueng hit, [etc.].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2860 : Þai dede hym kulle boþe with honde & fete.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)545 : He..culles on mennes hedes þat þei doun lyen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)876 : An outcomlyng, a carle, we kylle of þyn heved!
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)835 : Nad þe folke be so fers..Þat kilden on þe cristen.
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)460 : Þi byddynge schall be doune..Kyll or sley or laye adoune.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2660 : Alle þat he miȝte a-reche, A kulde hem doun afforn him ther.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.290 : Poule þe apostil..no pite ne hadde, Cristene kynde to kille to deþe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8491 : He gan in þring Amonges hem, whiche killeth doun & sleth.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1734 : The Grekes..Kyld all oure kynnesmen into colde dethe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12859 : The toun was takon..The kyng & his knightes kild to the dethe.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)992 : Go kill þam down vndir thi schelde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2377 : Þe kyng of þaire kythe was killid doun & heded.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)220/36 : The grete gyauntes of Gene kylled downe many knyghtes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)223/23 : Kylle doune clene for love of sir Kay..save nother hethyn nothir Crystyn.
2.
(a) To inflict death; kill (sb. or oneself), slay; slaughter (beasts); ~ and slen; ~ of [quot.: Destr.Troy], exterminate (people); ppl. killande, deadly, lethal; also fig.; (b) to ruin (sb.), undo; do away with (wickedness, sin), destroy; ~ of, clip (someone's hair), shave; (c) ?to oppress (sb.), defraud (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)100 : Þat swote smul him culde neiȝh.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3450 : She wolde kille Leons, leopardes, and beres al to rente.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3342 : Mo þan a þousent of þe schrewen wel sone þer were y-kulde.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.93.6 : The moderles childer thei killeden [WB(2): han slayn; L occiderunt].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.393 : Þey were i-kilde of men of þe contrays aboute.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.5 : Þey were i-kilde [vr. ykeld].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.180 : For Culde [vrr. kilde, kylled, kulled, kelled; C: culde; vr. killede] I neuere no kyng.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)146 : Ȝif þi neiȝebor þe Manas Oþur to culle or to bete.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.64 : Wrong..Counseilidkaym to kiln [vrr. kyllen, cullen, slen; B: kullen] his broþer.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.185 : Thouȝ we culled [vrr. killen, kulled, killeden; C: hadde ycullid; vr. hadde culd] þe catte, ȝut sholde þer come another.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2110 : Com ȝe þere, ȝe be kylled.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1702 : He killed & slowȝe aboute hym enviroun.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2186 : Tydeus..Sleth and kylleth vpon euery side.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Josh.10.26 : Josue smoot and killide hem.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.280 : Bishopis of þe olde lawe kilden beestis.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)114/34 : He haþ killid hymsilf wiþ the swerd of hate.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5608 : But Ector helpe, the Troyens ben spilt -- I telle hem -- elles alle be kylt.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Pard.(Petw 7)C.854 : He myȝt his rattes kelle [vrr. kille, quelle].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1216 : Thus sey these yonge folk, and up they kylle These bestes wilde, and han hem at here wille.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)89/29 : Þis warld..has..bittyr hony & kyllande [L necantem] fruyte.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)274 : Kyllyn, as bocherys don bestys: Macto.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)11/1 : He went till hym and kyllede [altered to: kellede] hym.
- (c1440) Paston2.49 : There come up xi hundyr Flemyns at Waxham, quereof wer takyn and kylte and dronchyn viij hundryte.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2844 : O ye cristen men..Kelle these people of fals lawe!
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1343 : Þaire kyng was kylt.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12863 : Pilours and plodders..Kyld of þe comyns.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)100a : God wolde haue ekilled [vr. ykuld] yowe.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)5 : Abel was the secunde son of Adam..killid of his brothir.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1104/7 : They..cowde well kylle a dere at the stalke.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)12/382 : The jewys do crye fast ffor to kylle the rythful man.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1063 : Þy fader hath keld Well many a bole.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)448 : Pore men ben nedid to helpe as beestis led to be killid.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)248/150 : I myself shuld kyll hym.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)624 : The romans xall be kylde & slayn.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.17 : Thare had neuer maide man bene cuyllyd in this bataille.
b
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)17.26 : Send ous contricion to clanse whit oure soules, And confession to culle alle kynne synnes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)17/4 : Þai had taken him and putte oute bathe his eghen, and culled off his hare.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)81/22 : Godis lufar no þinge sekys in þis warld bot þat he may..to likyngis of his god onely take heyd. Afterward..well vsyd in prayinge..all wykkydnes kylland & vnclennes.
- a1450(?c1405) Man be war of (Dgb 102)30 : In kyngdom, what makeþ debate?..Hiȝe and lowe men abyȝed; Echon wayte oþer for to kille.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)66 : Þo yender ben tho sowles þat were kilde and distroied.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1127 : Whanne any of þy neyboris wyl þryve..bakbyte hym..Kyll hym a-non, with-owtyn knyve.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1620 : Gloton kyllyth with-owtyn knyf & dystroyeth þi complexion.
- a1500 Trental St.Greg.(2) (Hrl 3810)29 : Thre childre I haue had borne Fful preuyly..I am culled preuely.
c
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)8.70 : He þat beggiþ or bit, but he haue nede..is fals wiþ þe fend & kiliþ [vrr. defraudith, frawdeþ, gyleþ] þe nedy.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1225) Hundred R.Tower 253 : Elye Culebucke.
- (1229) Pat.R.Hen.III278 : Willelmus Culfis de Hastinges.
- (1229) Pat.R.Hen.III282 : Willelmum Culeber.
- (1275) in Ewen Surnames Brit.225 : Hen. Cullebulloc.
- (1300) Close R.Edw.I398 : Gilbert Kelehog.
- (1305) in Sundby Dial.Wor.110 : Steph. Cullebuck.
- (1320) Pat.R.Edw.II543 : Maurice Cullebere.
- (1327) Sub.R.Lei.in AASRP 20.1277 : Gilbertus Killebole.
- (1329) Pat.R.Edw.III428 : Simon Kilbere.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18163 : Robertus Culleboef.
- (1332) Sub.R.War.in Dugd.Soc.672 : Richard Cullecoppe.
- a1400(1252) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1303 : Willelmus Cullefinche.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)840/24 : O man for mede him openede & gan þo to culle His heued mid o pol hax þat al hit to-schroþ & so nom out þat brayn for þe smul þat was loþ.
Note: Needed for date in sense 1.(a).
Note: Gloss: To strike (one's head with a weapon), administer a blow to.--notes per MLL
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2133 : Bigynneþ ȝoure foomen coile [LinI: taile] Alto sleiȝtte, and nouȝth to spoyle.
Note: New spelling: Also..coile
Note: Belongs to sense 2(a).
Note: Gloss: to cut down (one's enemy) in battle, slaughter.--notes per MLL