Middle English Dictionary Entry
pīl(e n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | pīl(e n.(3) Also pila, (in names) pille, peile, pul(l)e. |
| Etymology | OE pīl & ON (cp. OI pila); from L pīlum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A pointed missile of some kind; an arrow or a dart; (b) the heavy javelin of the Roman infantry; (c) a sharp-pointed surgical cutting instrument, a lancet.
Associated quotations
a
- (1189-90) Pipe R.Rich.I3 : Et pro quarrellis de arbelester et pilez.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3490 : To-gider we go now..Smiteþ wiþ swerdes & speres y-grounde, Scheteþ wiþ piles [F pels] & ʒif hem deþ wounde.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3607 : Sum piles [F piz] scharpe kerueinde, Al aboute so mani stondinde þat ich ne can þe noumbre telle..þer nae man þat þer neye come, þat he ne was to-corwen anon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6976 : Þen Paris..with a pile sharp Rut hym in thurgh þe rybbis with a roid wond.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)88/13 : Make stronge shot, and cast in piles [Lambeth: dartys; L pila] venymed as gonne stones.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)38b : Also þei hadde double dartes..Þe more had an heued of yren þre square, þe weiʒte of ix ounces and þe schaft of fyue foot & half, þe whiche now is cleped a pyle [L pilum]..þe whiche schot..myʒtiliche y-þrowe, it persed schelde and habergeoun.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)157b/a : Be þer made in þe space comprehended many scarificacionz ordinately after þe skyn depe wiþ a pile, i. here or rasour [L pilo aut rasorio].
2.
(a) A quill of a hedgehog; a prickle of a plant; (b) coll. the spiked lower ends of the bars of a portcullis; (c) the gnomon of a sundial.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)8/21 : Alle [sins] weren prikiende so piles on ile.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.King (LdMisc 108)49 : Ase ful ase is an Irchepil, of piles [Hrl: pikes] al-a-boute, So ful he stikede of Arewene.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)172/24 : Lactuca..haʒt lewys lyk endywe, but þis herbe haʒt nonne piles [vrr. pykkes, pykys] in þe rygges as endywe haʒt.
b
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)616 : Ledes..portecolis with pile picchen to grounde.
c
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)552/22 : Goomon [read: gnomon]: [dæimæ]les pil.
3.
(a) A pile; a timber, pole, or stake driven into a riverbed, the ground, etc., to help form an obstruction, a piling of a bridge, a foundation, etc.; a prop for a tree; piles and pales, the palisade of a camp; ~ sho, a metal casing for the end of a pile; (b) a stake fixed in the ground at which soldiers practised fencing strokes, hurled the javelin, and shot arrows; (c) a post.
Associated quotations
a
- (1392) in Rec.B.Nottingham 1416 : Ricardus Byron..obstupavit rectum cursum aquae de Trent..ponens in aquam praedictam pilos de maeremio..et sic per..positionem dictorum piles..rectus cursus aquae praedictae impeditur.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.23 : Pieres..bad me toten on the tree..With thre pyles was it vnder-piʒte.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.30 : With þe firste pyle [C: plaunke] I palle hym down, þat is, potencia dei patris.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.86 : Pieres for pure tene þat o pile [C: shoriere] he lauʒte And hitte after hym.
- (1407) in Salzman Building in Engl.85 : [2] Pylschoun [weighing..100 lb.].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)13388 : Thei alle are went of here hales; Thei passe her piles & her pales.
- (1426) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)340 : Item, to the sustentacion of the brigge of London and especiell for pylys to ben there dryve x li.
- (1442) RParl.5.44a : And atte no maner of person..lette nor stoppe the seid passage of Shippes or cours of water, with stone, piles, or any othir disceyte in any wise in the said water called Dike.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4611 : Longe pyles & grete dide þey make; ffaste yn Temese dide þey hem stake, Euerylkon wyþ iren schod.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)388/19 : And þe King dede make at Pountlarge, ouyr þe watir of Sayne, a strong and a myʒty Cheyne of Iren, & put it þrouʒ grete pilez.
- (1470) in Salzman Building in Engl.84 : To Morice White..a great to dryve pyles in the fundacion of the Bulwerk.
- a1500(a1470) Brut-1461(1) (Add 10099)500/23,24 : Þe Duke..toke his barge..for to haue go thrugh London Brigg; & thrugh misguydynge of þe barge, it ouer-threw on þe Pyles..but þe Duke..lepe vpon the piles.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)64/116 : And right as see yeveth flood, so draweth see ebbe and pulleth ayen under wawe al the firste out-throwe, but-if good pyles of noble governaunce in love..ben sadly grounded; to [read: the] whiche holde thilke gravel as for a tyme.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.78 : He..came..Into Thamis, where Cassibalayn tho Great pyles of tree and yron sette hym again, His shippes to peryshe.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)13b : How olde werriours were vsed to juste with vannes and pley wiþ þe pile or þe pale.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)360 : Noo man..is seyn prevaile..That with the pile [L palum] nath first gret exercise.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)362 : Have vche his pile or pale vp fixed faste, And as in werre vppon his mortal foo, With wightynesse & wepon most he caste To fighte stronge.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)423 : A dart..teche hym it to ster And caste it at that pile.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)439 : Set hert & eye vppon that pile or pale; Shoot nygh or on.
c
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3605 : Weynes & cartes þai han y-nome..Y-ioined hij han þe gret piles [F postz] Ginnes þai made on selcouþe wise.
4.
Her. A wedge-shaped charge, a pile.
Associated quotations
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf e v/b : Now folowyth of certan armys in the wich iij pilis mete to gedyr in oon coone.
5.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.64].
Associated quotations
a
- (1257) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)132 : William de la Pyle.
- (1274) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Ric. de la Pile.
- (1285) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Will. de la Pyle.
- (1308) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Thom. de la Pyle.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3280 : Willelmus Pilman.
- (1330) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)578 : Sibilla atte Pile.
- (1330) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)602 : Deed atte Peyle.
- (1364) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames151 : Gilb. atte Pyle.
- (1378) in Kökeritz PNWight19 : Ralph atte Pyle.
b
- (1150-57) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)297 : Pillei.
- (1196) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)297 : Pilleia.
- (1201-2) in Fägersten PNDor.290 : Pilesdone.
- (1249) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)420 : Pylemor.
- (1270) in Wallenberg PNKent580 : De Pyleholte.
- (a1300) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)420 : Pylelonde.
- (1305) in Fägersten PNDor.290 : Pylesdon.
- (1345) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)420 : Pylamor.
- (1349) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)207 : Pilford.
- (1356) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)158 : Pilmor.
- (1379) EPNSoc.30 (West Riding Yks.)297 : Pyllay.
- (1412) in Fägersten PNDor.290 : Pullesdon.
- (1431) in Fägersten PNDor.290 : Pulesdon.
- (1477-8) in Wallenberg PNKent580 : Pillehold wey.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)21a : Also þe castynge schot þat oure footmen vsed in werres was yclepid Pila, and now it is yclepid a spere oþer a darte; þis was nouʒt ellis bot a long schaft wiþ a sotil heued of yren and steele craftliche y-made, þre eggid.
Note: Additional self-defining quot. which belongs to sense 1.(a). Form ('pila') actually reproduces the Latin plural of Vegetius, but appears to be assimilated as an English singular.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The quots. taken under sense 3(a), especially that from Mannyng Chron.Pt.1, may belong under pel n.(1), sense (a), which contains similar quots. from the same source and with similar meaning. Lay. Brut 3905, describing the same objects and same event, refers to them as "ræftres" (Caligula) or "refteres" (Otho). The two entries (pile and pel) should if possible be reconciled.