Middle English Dictionary Entry
atlen, -ien v.
Entry Info
Forms | atlen, -ien v. Also aghtel, haghtil, attel & etlen, eghtil, ettel, et(t)il. |
Etymology | ON *ahtil-, akin to OE eahtian; cp. OI ǣtla, atla, etla. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To intend or plan (to do sth.); -- intr. or refl.; (b) seek or plan (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)79 : He..wolde him seluen wreke..and þerto ettleð and abit his time.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1198 : Ur lord had aghteld [Göt: ordained] yete, A child to rais of his oxspring.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16384 : Quat aghtel [Trin-C: þenke] yee do þan?
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)12380 : Etild [Lamb: he..peyned hym to smyte a syde Wyþ his swerd Caliborne].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2263 : Hade hit dryuen adoun as dreȝ as he atled, Þer hade ben ded of his dynt þat doȝty watz euer.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3379 : Mai I traist on þe, For to tel my preuete Þat I haue aghteld for to do?
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5784 : A doghter..Þe whilk he luved specialy And eghtild to mak hir qwene of worshepe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)152a/b : Þe maner of wirchinge..purposeth or etleþ to kytte þe flesche.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)616 : He etyllede withe a slynge hafe slayne hym.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)554 : Bee Estyre..I ettyll my selfen To hostaye in Almayne with armede knyghtez.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)29/26 : Alexander went in-to a temple of Apollo, whare als he aghteled to hafe made Sacrafice.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)483 : He made a blyot..of the berdes of kynges And aughtilde sir Arthures berde one scholde be.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2829 : Þou..ettlys þe [Ashm: etils to] sir Alexander efte to assayle.
b
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)366 : Vnbuxum we beþ..his deþ haue we atled.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)244/1 : I sall giff þe att þou adlis.
2.
(a) To arrange or prepare (sth.); refl. prepare oneself, get ready; (b) of God: to ordain (sth.); destine (sb.); (c) to designate (sb. as heir).
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Most i ryden (Hrl 2253)41 : Hire teht aren..euene set ant atled al.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)855 : Jason..gripes his weppon, Armur & all thing atlet before.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1157 : Þan etils him sir Alexander.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9426 : Qua herd euer spek o mare bliss, þan aghteld [Trin-C: ordeyned] was adam and his?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21759 : Godd þat haghtils [Frf: ordenis; Göt: aghlis; Phys-E: haghis] ilk in stat.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)207 : Þe falce fende..Whyl he watz hyȝe in þe heven..Of alle þyse aþel aungelez attled þe fayrest.
c
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)394 : She was eldist & heire etlit to his londes.
3.
(a) Advance; go (to a place); approach, attack (sb.); ~ ouer to (sb.), go over to (sb.), join (sb.); (b) aim (a blow) at (sb.); (c) address (words to sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25996 : Lete we nu þene eotend bi-lafuen and atlien [Otho: go] to þan kinge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29063 : We wulleð ouer al atlien to þe seluen, a watere and a londe halden þe uor kinge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30846 : Brien him atlede to..swa longe he gon atlen þat he com him baften.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1760 : Alisaundrine anon attelede to hire boure.
- a1425 Hayle bote (Wht)123 : To the blys of heuen ther the neuer aghttil, Bot Ihesu and Mary wil with the saghtil.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)15 : Alixandre wiþ his ost atlede þidire.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7424 : Ector eftirsons ettlyt on Achilles.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)112/12 : Þe stede whedyr þou etyls And þe wirkynges þat þou etyls.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)109 : Now fares Philip..And attles to þe Assyriens aunteres too seeche.
b
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6399 : He auntrid vpon Ector, atlit hym a dynt, With all the forse of his fole.
c
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2322 : To all ȝow of Athenes þus etill [Dub: atthill] I my saȝes.
4.
To tend or incline (to a certain state).
Associated quotations
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)26b/a : It etleþ to rote.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)27a/b : The declynacioun [of fflegmon] bygynneþ to etle to liȝtnesse.
5.
To be inclined to think, surmise, or think (sth.).
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)404 : William & ȝhe were of on held, as euene as ani wiȝt schuld attely bi siȝt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)941 : Alysaundrine a-non attlede alle here þouȝtes..bi kuntenaunce of kastyng of lokes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1015 : Þanne alisaundrine anon attlede þe soþe, þat hire maistres..no schuld hire nouȝt misse.