Middle English Dictionary Entry
lēl adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | lēl adj. & n. Also lele, lelle, leal(e, liale. |
| Etymology | OF lëal, lëel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Loyal, true, faithful; (b) loyal to God, vertuous; (c) having the Christian faith, Christian; (d) of persons: fair, just, honest; of a law or an action: proper, just; (e) truthful, veracious, reliable, trustworthy.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3030 : Þo loued Jordains & sir Bretel Sir Arthour wiþ hert lel.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)208/4448 : Euer his stede Arondel Faste fauȝt wiþ herrte lel.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)88.28 : My mercy and my testament shal be leal [vr. trew; L fidele] to hym.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5119 : Be lel to þi lord and to þis ladi..his menskful moder.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1770 : Wyþ a sarsyn þan þai mette, þus barouns gode & lel.
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)204 : Prey for þe prest, and he for þe; Þat Is a preyere of charite; Þen maiȝt þou synge of loue lele.
- c1390 NHom.Abp.& N.(Vrn)115 : Crist hire bouhte..and taken hire as his lele spouse.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)372 : Put þi body, whon þou art seek, To leche þat is lele [L fideli].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.168 : R. gaf it so quite þat þei suld him be leale.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.238 : Vncristene..may cristene an heþene, And for his lele beleue..Haue eritage in heuene.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.88 : Bisshopes..han cure..charyte to tulie, Þat is, leel loue and lif a-mong lered and lewed.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.319 : Þauh þe kyng..Ȝeue lond..To here leelle lyge, loue ys þe cause.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1513 : Of alle cheualry to chose, þe chef þyng a-losed, Is þe lel layk of luf.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3986 : How es þis, damysele? I wend þou sold be to me lele.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)88/10 : Loo, how þi lele [Man.(1): trewe; F loial] seruand has done for þe.
- a1450 Who þat liste loke (Stw 951)47/285 : Kyng Dauid did morther his knyght lele, Vry, in þe bataille for Bersabee la bele.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1007 : A boke..was broȝt on to swer..barouns hit kyssen, To be leel to þat lord, þat hem lede scholde, Sir Titus, þe trewe kyng.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3360 : I the wed shall, To lede with þi lyf as a leale spouse.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2877 : Emynelaus..hardy of his hand..And..lede lelist to his lord leuand of lyue.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)36/9 : It bihovith a messangere to ben..wijs, honourable and lele.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)72b : Lele, vbi trewe.
- a1525(?1435) Cov.Leet Bk.173 : To the whiche aid..we han founde our leal vncle, the Cardenall..as well willed.
b
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)276 : We schul preye for alle ffidelibus To Rewe soules þat beþ lele.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.135 : Criste thar in gasteli slepes, Quen he tholes god men and lele, Wit wic men and fals dele, That betes thaim wit dede and word.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3983 : Ald noe, bath lel [Frf: lelle; Trin-C: trewe] and gode, þou sauued fra þat ferli flode.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25766 : Mare ioi es..Of a sinful reuand sare þan of a hundret lele of dede.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.14 : Bisshopes yblessed if þei ben as þei sholde, Leel and ful of loue.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)20/7 : Þabbes ah at set nan þar-to..bot þat tay be of clene lif and leel.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)14 : Off elders of alde tym..How they were lele in theire lawe and louede God.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)336 : Ȝe take þe gaste of mede Þat lele folk vnto lif suld lede.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)389 : Of Aran com loth þat lele man, That honerd god in gud degree.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)133/521 : As I am true and lele, to god here I pray, That this be the fyrst mele that I shall ete this day.
- a1525 PPl.Creed (Roy 18.B.17)344 : Leele [Trin-C: som man..Þat lyueþ in Lei lijf and loueþ no synne].
c
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.7.14 : An vnlele man is halewyd by a lele [L fidelem] womman; and an vnlele womman is halewid by a lele [L fidelem] man.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Tim.6.2 : Raþere serue þei þem for þei ben leale and louyd of god.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)28/41 : Vnto þam come al lele and trew Þat war disciples of Jhesu.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)722 : Many þat trowes noȝt criste ihu, Sall þou make leele and trewe.
d
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1312 : Whanne..alle lele lawes [were] in þat lond sette..þe peple held hem payed.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Magd.(Phys-E)p.18 : This riche man hauid dettours fel, And sum war fals and sum war lele.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.146 : A plouh þei gonne make Wit leel labour to lyue.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.350 : As leel laborer þat by-leuyþ with hus maistre..take hym for hus trauaile al þat treuthe wolde.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.309 : Sitthe he is so leel a lorde..he wol nat Reuen ous of oure ryght.
- a1450 Myne awen dere sone (Vsp D.13)165 : If þou sall lofe, Þe person fyrste, I rede, þou proue Whether þat thay be fals or lele.
- c1450(c1398) Paris St.Christina (Arun 168)496 : Ife any wighte Praye..to that damesele, She wille hyme helpe..Ife theire desire be goode & leele.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.44 : Thou schalt fynde me true and lele, And euyn, lord, for to dele, Be-twix the and me.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3561 : He is yeur lord riall & soveren Iugg & lele.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875:Skeat)2.31 : Lerne his lawe þat is so lele, & siþþe teche it furþer.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)288/296 : To draw cutt is the lelyst, and long cut, lo, this wede shall wyn.
e
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6478 : Lok þat þou ne reue ne stele Ne ber þou witnes nan bot lele.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27847 : Ogain þis sin sin [avarice] es bote o scrift, Lele of hert and fre of gyft.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.69 : For I seyde þus to freres..þei..loued me þe lasse for my lele speche.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.24 : Which of ȝow is trewest, And lelest to leue on for lyf and for soule?
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)8.238 : Alle þe houses beþ heled..With no lede bote with loue and with leel-speche.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)16/433 : Nicholas, say, left I noght þe To kepe my gudes..Als man I leuid for trew and lele? Whi haues þou sufferd theues it stele?
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)165/185 : The viijte lernes ȝou for to be lele, Here for to bere no false witnesse.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Origo Mundi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)1799 : Moyses mar so profus lel rys yv thy'so dyogel ry dour thy'nny the eve.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Pass.Christi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)1318 : Travyth ny wreth gorthyby er byn dustenyow lel?
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)239 : Þu may..haue..a full hegh mede, Leve þis for lell, me list it perfourme.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)8 : This geste es sothe, wittnes þe buke, Þe ryghte lele trouthe, who so will luke, In Cronekill for to rede.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)48/26 : Iohan þat translatyd þis book, Patrik sone ful wys, & leel enterpretour of langages.
2.
(a) Full of prowess, noble, brave; of a horse: spirited, stout; of a castle: warlike; (b) fair, beautiful, worthy; (c) accurate, exact; (d) excellent, good, sound.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1300) Songs Langtoft (Cmb Gg.1.1)p.303 : He loghe wil him liked..he wende e were liale.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5422 : Þe sext kniȝt so was Bretel, Of gret noblay, strong & lel.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)590 : Beues rod on Arondel, Þat was a stede gode and lel.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4809 : William..made him menskful messageres..þe grettest lordes of þat land þat lellest were hold.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.140 : Baldewyn þe meselle..Noble kyng & lele.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1562 : Seuen hundrid knyȝtes gode and lele.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)32.93 : The kyng Of percye..was ȝong man, bothe faire & lel.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)35.228 : A Roche..Where vppon was a Castel that was bothe fayr, swete, & lel.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2859 : The yle well enabit..And lyuet after law of þe lell gentils Þat Venus..worshippit.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1129 : If thou be curteys knighte and lele, Rise vp and let vs fight to-geder.
- c1450 PPl.B (RwlPoet 38)13.295 : Strengest on stede..louelokest to loken on and lelest of werkes.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)326 : I ȝeue þe Blaunchard, my stede lel.
b
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)38 : Heo haþ a mury mouht to mele wiþ lefly rede lippes lele, romaunz forte rede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8294 : On þat tre..þair stode a selcut lele [Trin-C: louely] heu.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1069 : Fro fyrst þat he lyȝt wythinne þe lel Mayden, By how comly a kest he watz clos þere.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1277 : My lady, lele Lufamour, Habyddis the in hir chambour.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3332 : Dere lady, full leel your lykyng to do, And all your wille forto wirke, yche wegh shall.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8800 : [The embalming ointment] sanke fro aboue By the lyndes of the lede to the leell theghes.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)115 : Longe legges and large, and lele for to schewe.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)361/21 : Þis whelpe was my doghter & was a full leall maydyn, & a gude & a fayr.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)425 : Of þe lenþe of Noe lyf to lay a lel date, Þe sex hundreth of his age and none odde ȝerez, Of secounde monyth, þe sevenþe day ryȝtez, Towalten alle þyse welle-hedez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)35 : In stori stif & stronge With lel letteres loken, In londe so hatz ben longe.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)339/78 : And it be lele in lenghe and brede, Þan is þis space wele spende.
d
- a1350 St.Alex.(1) (LdMisc 108)75/567 : Þe blynde, of him hadden here syȝth..Þe halte, here lymes lele.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12194 : I haue aproprid to oure partis prouyns besyde With my labur full longe and my lel wyt.
3.
(a) Legally valid, lawful; also, law-abiding; ~ man, a law-abiding man; (b) having to do with law, legal.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4891 : Yon er theues we lelmen [Trin-C: trowe] wend.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4909 : We ar bath treu men and lele, For ware we neuer wont at stele.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.29 : He suld gyue his kirke franchise & fe To haf & to holde als he was kyng leale.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.69 : Þan suore he to me..his heyre suld I be. Þerof he mad me skrite, his hote to mak leale.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.138 : He..obliged þam with scritte, hyngand ilk a seale Þat þer dede was perfite & his homage leale.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.210 : Men þat buth bygetyn Out of matrimonie..mowe nat haue þe grace That leelle legitime by lawe may cleyme.
- (1409-10) in Salzman Building in Engl.483 : xl pound of leele monee of Ingland.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)7/37 : His mone þat was gude and lele Left in Braband ful mekill dele.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)28/21 : In Cicile es a maner of nedder, with whilk men..vsez to proue þaire childer, wheder þai be geten in leel [Man.(1): lawefull; F loial] spousage or noght.
- (1430) Deed Yks.in YASRS 63103 : Ȝeldyng ȝerely be ȝere viij marke of lele mone of Inglond.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)96/29 : Þanne fallys to hym [man] a reale willy vertu..and þanne comes to him a lele sett vertu of originals, wharof he ressayues another gouernance all þe tyme of his lyf.
b
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)96/29 : þanne comes to him a lele sett vertu of originals [Caritate SSecr 183/2: þe strenht clepyd legal, þe qwyche is plantatyf of orygynalis; L (Steele, pars 3, chap. 7, p. 131): virtus legalis plantativa originalium], wharof he ressayues another gouernance all þe tyme of his lyf.
4.
As noun: faithful people, loyal subjects.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18232 : Skorning þou art o god angel, Despit of al rightwis and lel [Ld: lele].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.320 : Yf þe leelle and þe lyge be luther men after, Boþe kyng and kayser..May desauowe þat þey dude.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.341 : Þat ys þe ȝefte þat god ȝyueþ to alle leelle lyuynge, Grace of good ende.
- c1475 Salue wyth all (Rwl C.48)5 : Vita to quekyn to helpe leall and les.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)250/41 : Welcome, my louely lord of leele, welcome my hart, welcome, my heale!
5.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1200) Pipe R.Cum.Wm.Dur.in SANT (1847)185 : Johes. Lealeman.
- (1212) CRR(2) 6338 : Rogerus Lelman.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16148,150 : Lelman..Leleman.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16151 : Joh. Leler.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The rather cryptic Latin of the Secretum Secretorum (sense 3(b)), last in a list of powers of the soul which accrue during the course of life, appears to designate the 'law-making power' attendant on the judiciousness of old age, literally 'legal constitutive power of originals.' Steele's paraphrase is 'the power of law-making'; Bacon's gloss: 'id est constitutiva legum'; adding, in explanation of 'originalium,' 'id est, legum a quibus successores sumunt originem suarum legum quas ipsi addunt.' The Lambeth translator seems to have struggled with it.