Middle English Dictionary Entry
bāle n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bāle n.(1) Also (early) balu, gen. bal(e)wes. Pl. bāles, (early gen. & dat.) balewen. |
| Etymology | OE bealo, gen. beal(u)wes. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Evil-doing; a misdeed.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17659 : Treoðen he plihten þesne swikedom to dihten; Appas eode to bur & þesne [Otho: þane] balu mæinde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)276 : And ay þe bigest in bale þe best watz halden.
- a1425 This blessyd boke (LdMisc 286)38 : Thys holy man..many myracles..has wrouȝt..And many out of bales brouȝt that in lywyng went on croke.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4194 : We ere bald Bragmenys þat neuir bale thoȝt.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)94 : Forto mende hym mukely of his misse-deedes..And þe burne be y-blessid and balys cunne eschewe.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)248/486 : Lete me Anoynte þin holy fote and for my balys þus wyn sum bote.
2a.
Threatened evil, danger; misfortune; harm, disaster, ruin; beten bale(s, to remedy evil(s, redress misfortune; baken (breuen) bale(s, plan or bring on harm or ruin; wirchen ~, do harm; etc.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2199 : Þer Humber ferde to baluæ [Otho: balue] & Bruttus weoren bliðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7361 : Þu scalt of Brutten muchel balu [Otho: care] habben.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9685 : Her heo sculeð ibiden bitterest alre baluwen [Otho: harme].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10460 : Þær aras muchel ballu [Otho: wo] bi-twenen þissen broðeren.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)552 : Ha tukeð ure godes to balewe & to bismere.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)189 : Iudas com avoreward þet al þat baleu wrouhte.
- a1300 Moder milde flur (Corp-O 59)8 : Swete leuedi..þe me ȝarked bale to breowe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)134 : Þe quene..studied..to do dernly a despit..to bring þat barn in bale botles for euer.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1219 : Þei..bounden him as bliue, him bale to wirche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.67 : It is the cuppe whom he serveth, Which alle cares fro him kerveth And alle bales to him bringeth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.589 : Fortune..Now stant upriht, now overthroweth, Now full of blisse and now of bale.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1864 : Wommen þat breke wedlak..brew to hemself bale.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)16/420 : Ful bitter bales I sal þe brew.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)290 : That sege salle be sesede at a sesone, That mekille bale and barete tille ynglande sall brynge.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)124 : O bitter bale hangyng in ballaunce!
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)275 : Þare [in battle] myghte no beryns oure bales bete, Bote þe helpe of heuens kynge.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5625 : Sire, blissid be all þi bachelers at þe in bales helpid!
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)547 : Whanne þou þus doist, þi bale þou bakist.
- a1475 As I stod in (Brog 2.1)63/25 : Evylle tongys brwys myche balle.
2b.
Destruction of life, death; beste of ~, a death-dealing beast; finden ~, meet with destruction, die; yeven ~, deal death; ~ stour, death agony.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)296 : Þe child wes iboren isund, to baluen his moder.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2597 : He bi-com in a bæch, þer he bale [Otho: balu] funde vppen ane weorede of wlfan awedde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20676 : Balu wes on folke; dæð þer wes rife.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)28/478 : Þet tu wult..makien him poisun & ȝeouen bale i bote stude.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)385 : He him bit ðan he him bale selleð, & he drinkeð his blod.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1496 : Bewar that of thin oghne bale Thou be noght cause in thi folhaste.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)74 : Þe Komyn had his bale, his lif was lightly sold.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)426 : Now, Lorde, lach out my lyf..Bed me bilyue my bale-stour & bryng me on ende.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)22 : Bale or bane: Mortiferum, toxicum, letiferum, letale.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)163 : Þat he fer wiþ his flok fare ne miȝhte, For þe bestus of bale þat bi þe watur ferde.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)3248 : Bryng fforth þi banes, & with a brand þi bale [Ashm: dede] shall I venge.
3.
Torment, pain, anguish; misery, grief, sorrow; beten bale, to soothe pain, relieve suffering; bote of bale, relief from suffering; biden ~, endure anguish.
Associated quotations
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)1/26 : So biþ þeo [bu]rdtid mid balewen imenged.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/416 : Þu schalt..tin anes dale bruken ofte wið bale & bitterliche abuggen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)68 : Pride made angel deuel dwale, ðat made ilc sorge and euerilc bale..and euerilc wo ðat is or sal ben euere mo.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)21 : He is papeiai in pyn þat beteþ me my bale.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)3307 : Mi bale þou fond to bet For loue of ysonde fre!
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)374 : Neiȝ to-barst he for bale for þe barnes sake.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)627 : But ich haue bote of mi bale..I am ded as dore-nail.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)896 : A botteles bale me byndeþ so harde, nas neuer feller feuer þat euer frek hadde.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)19379 : Þai lered at þaim to suffre hard, Þat neuer for na bale ne buud Fra cristen trouth.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)123 : Bylde in my blys, abated my balez.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)478 : He..lyued in penaunce..Wyth bodyly bale hym blysse to byye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.739 : She..bad God on hire rewe, And with the deth to doon boote on hire bale.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6103 : Men may calle þat day..Þe day of bale and of bitternes.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4441 : Love..Seide that Hope..Shulde ay be relees to my woo. But what and she my baalis beete?
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)981 : For bale of þe botelesse, blythe be I neuer!
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)258 : He that tolde hir that tale Broght hir in mykil bael.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)227 : For I ne myghte, for bote ne bale, Slepe or I had red thys tale.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1353 : Whate bale als euer I byde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5582 : Slike a fell infirmite was in his hors bunden..þat he for bale dies.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)46/93 : In byttyr bale now am I brought..but ȝit my sorwe avaylith ryght nowth.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)39/552 : As he in bayll is blis, I pray hym..In heven..to purvaye vs a place.
4.
Theol. The suffering or tribulations (of this world); the torments (of hell); bote of ~, deliverance from suffering or torment, redemption; beter of ~, redeemer; etc.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)1755 : Þe wei..to liue, þer as me liueð aa in blisse buten euch bale.
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)281 : A ihesu..of alle bales bote.
- ?c1250 Ar ne kuthe (Gldh)17 : Almicti, that wel lictli of bale is hale and bote.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)125 : Þar-inne is vich balewes bote, blisse & Ioye.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1984 : Ic sal ligten til helle dale, And groten ðor min sunes bale.
- a1350 Body & S.(4) (Hrl 2253)136 : Him y telle a louerd, þat þus con bete bales.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1481 : God sende euery trewe man boote of his bale.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)651 : Þe blod vus boȝt fro bale of helle And delyuered vus of þe deth secounde.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)1505 : Lord, þou es cumen oure bales to bete.
- a1425 Hayle bote (Wht)1 : Hayle, bote of bale, blissed Qwene!
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)60 : Þe Badde Aungyl..callyth þe Werld..to brynge Mankynd a-geyn to bale out of blys.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)496 : Crist..bouȝt vs fram bale with blod of his herte.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)32/311 : Thank we that fre [God], Beytter of bayll.
- a1500 As I went þrow (Adv 19.3.1)42 : We seo god be-comun yn mannus flech, þat bote hasse broght off all oure bale.
- a1500 Pennyw.Wit(2) (Cmb Ff.2.38)211 : As Cryste bryng me fro bale, Sche lyeth falsely.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Lordyngis leue (Bod 48)98/436 : And þow þe pouer hem pleyne, ne mow þey get no bale For hem, And half is stole þat þey take of wreccheþe pouer men.
- a1450 Lordyngis leue (Bod 48)107/591 : He sente bote of bale and awrak here deþ.
- a1425 By a forest (Bod 596)236 : It thought me wele this word 'Parce' Was bale and bote of gostly sore.
Note: Additional quote(s)