Middle English Dictionary Entry
sailen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | sailen v.(1) Also saile, sail(le, saili, seilen & salen; pl.impv. (early, error) seælled; ppl. sailing, etc. & saileant. |
| Etymology | Shortened form of assail(l)en v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To attack, assail; attack (sb. or sth.); of the sea: buffet (sb.); of a vision: trouble (sb.); ~ to, attack (sb.); (b) of the devil: to tempt (sb.); (c) to address (sb.), greet; appeal to (sb.); (d) ?error for failen v.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3064 : Seælled [read: seælleð] heore tures & swaleð heore bures.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4134 : When þe dragoun seye com Gij, Þe lyoun he forlett & gan him sayly.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9654 : Ne he mai scap, ga quar he ga, þat him ne sailles ai his fa.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24846 : Þe see þam sailed on ilk side.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)4364 : Whilk of þam suld formast saile [Lamb: alle were set in ylka bataille & schept ho scholde formest assaille].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7336 : Every man Now to assaut that sailen can.
- a1425 PPl.C (Cmb Ff 5.35)23.374 : Sayle [Hnt: Anon sleuthe seih þat and so dude pruyde, And comen with a kene wil conscience to assaile].
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23836 : Aiþer oste oþer ful egerlie sails.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4392 : Cesar hadde in his bataille Knyghte þat couþe boþe fende & saille.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)17.230 : Thanne clepid the kyng Joseph..That of theke A-visiowns he wolde him Schewe..'The Nyht to-Fore I wente to Bataille, What thing it was that Me Gan so to saille.'
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)7902 : The ost com on frusshing, Hem within ful fast sailing.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9617 : Thre to hym sayled [vrr. sayllede, assayled] of the rowte And hew on his helme and in his sheeld.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)225 : Fawkons..to the heron..hitten..full ofte..And saylen hym full serely and sesyn hym there-aftire.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)303 : Menylawse þe mody kynge and men out of Grece..þaire cite assegede and sayled [vr. salid] it full ȝerne.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)40/171 : This brod arwe I shete, þat best ffor to sayll.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)1436 : Than came Saddok prykande The dewke Segwyn saylande.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)7988 : Wyth grete wrath starte Amerawnt Wyth hys strenkyth Gye sayleant.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4168 : Þere asaute is to him seilande.
b
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)156/26 : Þe deuel seeþ wel sliliche þe staat of a man and..to what vise he is most enclyne to..and on þat side he saileþ hym most.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)220/506 : The feynd ful fast salys you, In wan-hope to gar you fall.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.116 : Here now of þe Brus, how he Dauid gan saile With word þat was Irus.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.50 : The porter wente in-to the halle, Alsone his lord he metes with-alle, He sailles him as he conne.
d
- a1400 Hit is lawe (Hrl 7322)1 : Hit is Lawe þat sailleþ noth.