Middle English Dictionary Entry
pareil n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | pareil n.(2) Also pareille, parail(e, paraille, parel(le, parrail(le, perail(e, perel. |
| Etymology | Shortened form of appareil; also cp. ML parella and AF parail n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. prīal n. and appareil n.
1.
(a) Furnishing, accoutrements; a decorative cloth (for an altar); (b) naut. equipment belonging to a boat; rigging; (c) Naut. A rope or chain used to fasten a yard to a mast, a parrel; ~ rop, a parrel; main-parelle, mast-parelle, trusse ~ [see main adj. 3, mast n.(1), trusse n.].
Associated quotations
a
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.97 : [3 vestments, 2] parayles [for an altar, 5] towayll, [2 bells].
- (1421) Acc.in Lyte Hist.Dunster94 : Por le Chapell..A peir of vestymentis, 2 towelles, A lytil masboke, 2 parelles for the auter and a superaltar.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1794 : When þis chapelle was y-made Wt alle þe pareylle þat longede þerto, Seynt Dunstone þerof sone warnyng hade, And þedur he come to halwe hit anone þo.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)p.114 : Or of hur bed was ther any perayle [Dur-O: appareyll] Of gold or sylke curteyned large abowt?
b
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3060 : Som wold have the Shippis, þe parell, & þe rothir.
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)118/74 : To see richardes galaye seyl, His minstrels & his riche parayl.
c
- (1295) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 5/12 [OD col.] : Parrail.
- (1419-22) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 271, 122 : iij. Pulleys, J. Mastparell'...; J haunser pro stetyng ponder' Cxxj. lb., ... j. trusse parraill' et J. soundynglyn..; j. truss parraill', J. sondynglyn'.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57210 : Item, for a trusse parelle and ij smale parelles, xx d..Item, for ij systers for the mayn pareylle, ij d.
- (1468) Acc.Howard in RC 57526 : Fore vij smalle mastes..fore ij tens perels.
- (1485) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 236, 70, 78, 122 : [The Mary of the Tower] ... ffor-mastes j., ffor-shrowdes vj., ffor-staies j, ffor-tyes j, ffor-perells j., ffor-lyfts ij..; Mayne trusses ij, Mayne drynges ij, Mayne takkes ij, Mayne shetes ij, Mayne lyftes [j]ij, Mayne perells j, Bryles ij, Brasses ij..; Cablettes for the mayne stay [j]ij Layners for the truss perell j .., maine perells j.; Meson sailes ij, Meson perell ij, Ankres vij ..; Truss perells j., Double poles with treen sheves xliij.
- (1495) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 282 : Necessaries Belongin to the Dokke..loff hokes of yron, j; parelles to a shippesmast sayle, ij...Mayne Toppes mast, ij..; yerdes to the same, j; parell to the same, j.
2.
A martial array, host.
Associated quotations
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1652 : Hys knyȝtes weren dyȝt al redy..Kyng Richard wente wiþ his parayle.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4180 : And an hundryd knyȝtes in his parayl.
3.
Wearing apparel, dress, attire.
Associated quotations
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.228 : Cleophas ne knewe hym nauȝte þat he cryste were, For his pore paraille [vrr. apparaille, apparalle] and pylgrymes wedes..In þe apparaille [vr. paraile; C: a-paraile] of a pore man and pilgrymes lyknesse.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2614 : Vppon her stede whan she was sette, Hyr paraylle All of one hewe.
4.
(a) The physical or moral equipment characteristics of a person; character; bearing, behavior; prout ~; (b) in phrases of high ~, high of ~, courageous; ?tall.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 KTars (Auch)1075 : Þo fif kinges of prout parayle Diȝt hem redi to þat bateyle, Wel stout & strong þai were.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.645 : Þe stiward, þat in werre was so hard, Swiþe heȝ of paraile.
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)196 : Þer were mani strong gines, & fele þousand of sarazines Swiþe heyȝe of parail.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)389 : The mayde stode & abode, that was of hye parayle.
5.
(a) Preparedness; preparation, fuss; (b) make-up, workmanship; (c) fig. means, procedure.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17501 : We schal come on suche parayle, That..Off his purpos schal he be rent.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)165/4939 : 'O what,' quod she, 'ye make a gret perail To loue me, thynke ye nede don hit so, For if ye cast in loue preuayle, Spare not to speke.'
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1038 : So be thei bothe of o parail; But on the wombe of Gemini Ben fyve sterres [etc.].
- c1400 St.Alex.(3) (LdMisc 622)56/810 : Whan he had his lijf ywrite, he hidde..his book of gode paraile.
c
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)231/31 : After rewfyn and leyon I rede þat ȝe sende; They arn temperal jewgys þat knowyth þe parayl..þis matere to Amende.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Many examples cannot unambiguously be placed in a given sense or subsense, and many such assignments here should be regarded as tentative. The e-MED has reorganized and reassigned examples and senses between appareil n. and this its aphetic variant, pareil n.(2), with all spellings with initial p- moved to the latter entry. The two words tend to be closely aligned, albeit with some senses specific to one form or the other. Meanings can also in many cases be clarified by considering comparable words in Latin (apparatus) and Anglo-French (AND s.v. apparail n. alongside the rarer French parail n.).
Note: Examples in pr- have been move to prīal n.