Middle English Dictionary Entry
pestel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | pestel n. Also pestelle, pestil(le, pestle, pistel; pl. pesteles, etc. & pestel(le. |
| Etymology | OF pestel & L pistillum; cp. also ML pestellum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An instrument used to grind materials in a mortar, a pestle; ~ of iren, a pestle made of iron; also fig.; (b) a threshing sled [see Singer & Holmyard Hist.Tech. 106].
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1272) Doc.in Rogers Hist.Agric.2566 : Mortar cum pestelello. ]
- [ (1279) Acc.Middleton in Archaeol.Cant.10324 : j pestellum, j mortarium. ]
- (1349) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3181 : j pestell de ferro.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)511 : Morter, pil, et mundiloun: Morter, pestelle, and pootstikke.
- (1381) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.4 : Jtem, amorter and pistel and an old dressingknyf.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.16.14 : It [manna] appeerd in wyldernes lessid, & as with a pestell [L pilo] pownyd, into þe licknes of a hoorfrost apone þe erþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.27.22 : If þou bete togidere a fool in a morteer, as hooled barly smytynge þer vp on þe pestel, shal not ben taken awey from hym his folye.
- (1390) in Rec.B.Nottingham 1244 : Unum morter et unum pestill.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5222/20 : Pro ij pesteles, viij d.
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)52 : Stamp tham wele in a morter, with a pestell of yren.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)138/13 : Þei ben in þe uessel of þe herte ipouned or igrounde wyþ a pestel of ofte þenkinge on hem.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)122 : Þo Gamelyn seyh hem come, he loked oueral, And was war of a pestel stood vnder a wal.
- (1420) EEWills46/30 : l petit brase morter, l pestell de ferro.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)46a/a : Opilo: to staumpe wyþ a pestel.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)660 : Pilus: pestylle.
- (c1425) Stonor1.43 : In coquina ij dressyngbord, j gret morter cum j pestel.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)129/4 : Take poudre litarge and ceruse with oyle rosate and bete ham in leden morter wiþ a pestel [*Ch.(1): pestelle; L pistello] of þe same.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)395 : Pestel, of stampynge: Pila, pistillus, pistellus.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)117/11-12 : Grynde hem with a pestell in a morter, and loke þat þe pestell be of erne.
- (1459-60) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9989 : j Brasynmorter cum j pestell ferr.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.23.15b : Kest al in þe morter of meknes and breke hit smal wiþ þe pestel of drede of God.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)102b/b : Now putte in þe oile and now þe vinegre litil and litil, euermore stirynge wiþ a pestel til it be ful maad.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)95a : A Pestell: Pilus, pila.
- a1500 Feast Tott.(Cmb Ff.5.48)94/253 : Ther was pestels in porra And laduls in rorra For potage.
- (a1500) Collect.Anglo-Premonst.in RHS ser.3.6263 : In coquina..a chawfere, a bras morter & a pestelle, a chawfing dyshe.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)14/19 : Stampe hym in a mortare with a pistel of yren.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.20.3 : Þe puple forsoþe þat was in it [captured city] he ladde out, & made vp on hem pestelis [WB(2): breris, ethir instrumentis bi whiche cornes ben brokun; L tribulas] & sledes & prowde irene charis to gon ouer, so þat þei weren alto-kut & tobroosed alle.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.21.23 : But & oxen I ȝyue in to brent sacrifice & þe pestelis [WB(2): instrumentis of tree wherbi cornes ben throischun; L tribulas] in to wode & þe whete in to sacrifice, alle þingis gladli ȝyue.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)67a/a : Tribulum: a pestel.
2.
The leg of a pig or chicken, used for food.
Associated quotations
- (1326) *Wardrobe Acc.Edw.II [OD col.]31/17 : Un pestel de pork, 3 1/2 d.
- (1363) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.312 : [The best] pestelle [of pork, 3 d.].
- (1394-5) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103599 : Pestels et volatilibus empt. pro Justic. comitis et aliis vicecom..28 s. 4 d.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.32 : The fyletes buth two, that buth take oute of the Pestels.
- (1407) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9952 : In carnibus et 12 pestell. porc. empt., 3 s.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)437 : Take the pestelles of the chekyns and couche hom in dysshes, and poure the sewe above.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)395 : Pestelle [Win: Pestyl] of flesche: Pestellus.
- (1445) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9986 : In iiijor pestell empt. per catorem Ty., 9 d. ob.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)40 : Atte þe dressoure þorw on þin Sirip on þi Pestelle, & kreme hard ȝolkys of Eyroun þer-to, & serue forht.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57544 : Item, delyverd to the Cator..for a quarter beff and ij pestelle porke, ij s.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.49 : Take, sethe þy henne and kut her wele On gobbettes, save alrons and þe pestle.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)46 : To mak pestelles of pork endored, tak and broche pestellis of pork and put of the skyn and rost it.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)107/216 : Oure mete now begyns; here a foote of a cowe well sawsed..The pestell of a sowe that powderd has bene.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1289) Chester R.in Chet.n.s.84143 : John Pestell.
- (1296) Close R.Edw.I475 : William Pestel.
- 1662(c1280) Bk.Vale Royal in LCRS 68 (Hrl 2064)198 : Randolph Pestel.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pestle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. pestle of iron.