Middle English Dictionary Entry
quāl(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | quāl(e n. Also (early) cwal(e & (error) gwal-. |
| Etymology | OE cwalu |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Death; (b) plague affecting man or animals; (c) ~ hold, a dead body; ~ hous, a prison, esp. the part reserved for those condemned to death; ~ sith, a deadly plague; ~ stoue, a place of execution.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)76/17 : Sume sealden heora lif for his lufe to cwale.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)121 : God ne sparede na his aȝene berne ac ȝef hine to cwale for us alle.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15879 : Quale com on orue.
- c1465 Chaucer CT.Kn.(CC 152)A.2014 : Qual [Heng: Yet saugh I..A thousand slayn and noght of qualm ystorue].
c
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1556 : Omnia qualstowa [vr. gwalstowa], id est occidendorum loca, totaliter regis sunt in soca sua.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)3/42 : Þær wurmes wældeþ al [þet þe] wurþest was, Fuweles qualeholde,þe þu icwemdest ær.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)365 : Ibrout ich habbe þes kinges broþer vt of þon quarcerne of þan quale-huse [Otho: cwal-huse], þær Brutus hin hefde idon, for to-marewene he hine wolde an-hon.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1882 : Heo duden heo in quarterne in ane quale-huse.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15924 : Þe qualm gon to stunte..Heo..cudden heore cunne of heore quale-siðe.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)10/3 : Þe wari..het hire kasten in cwarterne & i cwal-hus [Roy: cwalm-hus].