Middle English Dictionary Entry
sẹ̄lde adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | sẹ̄lde adv. Also seld, seilde, sielde, silde, zelde, (early) selt, sealde & (errors) sele, selþe, þelde. |
| Etymology | Back formation from OE seldor adv.comp.; also cp. OE seld-, syld- in seld-cūþ, seld-sīne, syld-sȳne. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Infrequently, seldom, rarely, hardly ever; ~ isen, seldom seen, rarely encountered [cp. seld-sen adj.]; comp. selder, less often, less frequently; (b) in proverbs; (c) ~ or never, seldom or never; (d) in cpds.: ~ whan(nes [OE seld-hwanne], rarely; ~ wher, scarcely anywhere; (e) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)207 : He haueð..gon..seldere þene he sholde to his chirche.
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)328 : Of þesse riche we þencheð to ofte, of þare alto selde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8952 : Selde [Otho: sealde] he aswint þe to him-seolue þencheð.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)31/19 : Ichulle þet ȝe speken selde [Pep: seeld] & þeonne buten lutel.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)57 : Selde [vr. þelde] wole me for þe messes lete singen.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)98 : Ich wot me miȝte fynde, ho so soȝte blyue, Somman, þeȝ hit selþe [Ld: sielde] beo, vntruere wiþ his wyue & as ful beo of þe mariage.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8605 : Þulke sterre is selde iseye bote it bodiinge be.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)140 : There is he al to sielde i-sein in eny devocioun.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)164/94 : At ese he is þat selde þonket.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.389 : Þey..mowe faste longe, and eteþ wel seelde while þe sonne is vppe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.369 : Þis his dedes beeþ selde [vr. sylde] in mynde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1472 : Men sen such love sielde in pes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2251 : Iesus, filius Syrak, as I gesse, Ne speketh of yow but selde reuerence.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)283 : Selde [LinI: Seilde] she spaak, and nouȝth loude.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)3.26 : On fauel was hure fader þat hath a fykel tonge And seilde [vr. seelde] soth seith.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)470 : For, god wote, al to selde, Iwys, Is ony pouere man wel fedde Or wel araied or cledde.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.3.18 : Yif the forme of this world is so seeld [vr. zeelde] stable, and yif it torneth by so manye entrechaungynges, wiltow thanne trusten in the tumblynge fortunes of men?
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.922 : Men graffeth of theyr toppes & their treynes; That werk or seelde auaile or sone yslayn ys.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)119 : This horn maketh a shrewede hunte; For seelde it bifalleth that he is a takere.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)118/4 : This frute is þe more precious þat it is selde [vr. silde] hadde.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.58 : Þe schrewe schrapid to selde for her wombis.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.SPuer(1) (LdMisc 683)87 : In childeris werre now myrthe, now debate..Now pley, now wepyng, selde [vrr. sielde, seelde] in on estate.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)20/16 : A festur ys seylde y-seyȝe þat hit ne hat mo holys þan on.
b
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)943-4 : For hit seide þeking alfred, 'Sele [Jes-O: Selde] endeð wel þe loþe, An selde plaideð wel þe wroþe.'
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.23 : Selde comit lone Lechind home.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)158/11 : Selde is þe hous pouere wher God is stiward.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1539 : Selde is the Friday al the wike ylike.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)64 : Þat selde is seȝe is sone forȝete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2343 : Men seyn that the riche man hath selde good conseil but if he haue it of hym self.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.104 : Selde men seþ [read: mosseþ] þe marbil þat men ofte dreden [read: treden].
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)73 : Ful seelde is seen þt yowthe takith heede Of perils þt been likly for to fall.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2812 : That seelde is seyn in loue doth appall.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.48 : Spele Frenssh and construe art And þou schalt selde com to thy part.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.118 : Seld y-sey & sone y-fryt.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)49/23 : Selde befallyth one Harme that more ne comyth aftyr.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)73 : Þe man þe naueð luue ne eie to gode, he þencheð selde oðer naure of heuene wele.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)239b/a : Palmes bereþ fruyt selde [L raro] oþer neuere.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3441 : This present lyff, Repleveshed [read: Repleneshed] with contek, werre, and stryff..seeld or neuere stont in Suerte.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3389 : For seelde or neuer in any regioun Prowesse off armys..May nowher duelle withoute sum envie.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)447 : We ouȝte not neiþer we schulde now bileeue, hope or truste or worche eny ferþer aboue natural resoun þan þei expresly bidden vs do or þan in þe singuler caas now bifore spoken, ful seeld or neuer bifalling.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9347 : Selde or neuere off O thouht.
d
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)220/25 : For swuch ah wummone lare to beonne: luuelich & liðe & selthwenne [Nero: seldwhonne] sturne.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.333 : Men of þat lond haueþ no feuere, but onliche þe feuere agu, and þat wel silde whanne [L perraro].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4240 : The fifte point..Is chastete, which sielde wher Comth nou adaies into place.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)70/15 : If bi þis medicyn he myȝte nouȝt sikirliche be restorid or restreyned, þat falliþ riȝt seelde whane.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)157/19 : Thow shalte Preyse and commende scarsly and seldewannes; but thou shalte blame more scarsly, more a-vysely, and more selde.
e
- (c1273) Hundred R.Tower 2337a : Will. Seldholi tenet j cotag'.