Middle English Dictionary Entry
sēl(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | sēl(e n.(2) Also cel(e, zel(e, seil(l)e, ? sẹ̄l(e & (early) selk & (in place name) sil & (?error) sely, (error, in cpd.) geyl-; pl. seles, selin, zeles. |
| Etymology | OE seolh, seol, gen. sēoles, siol-, syl-; cp. MDu. seel, sele, zeel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The common seal Phoca vitulina, a marine carnivorous mammal; -- sometimes confused with other marine mammals such as the whale [last quot.] and perh. the porpoise [quot.: 1440]; also, the seal used for food; ~ fish; (b) ~ calf, the offspring of a seal; seles molles, ?pieces of seal blubber; ?error for ~ smolt; sele(s skin, the skin of a seal; ~ smere (smolt), melted seal blubber, seal oil; ~ smeres, ?pieces of seal blubber; roughe ~, ?a fur seal; ?the rough seal Phoca hispida; (c) ?error for sole n.(2); (d) in place name [see Smith PNElem.2.119].
Associated quotations
a
- (1293) Doc.Cust.Sea in NRS 4930 : xxiij lestas allecis albi in barellis, xxij lestas unguenti de selk' et de oleo, [etc.].
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)755 : Grim..tok þe sturgiun and þe qual And þe turbut and lax with-al; He tok þe sele and þe hwel.
- (1383) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100434 : Item, liber qui vocatur Polustor hystoriarum..coopertus cum pelle de sely [?read: selȝ].
- (1404) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.383 : Item, xij vasa zeeles.
- (1416) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9954 : In 3 quarters unius zele et plays de Tese, 8 s., 6 d.
- (c1420) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9957 : In j seylle empt., 3 s.
- (c1420) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9957 : In j Selfysh empt. per Celerarium, 3 s., 4 d.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)148a/a : An ymage of a lyon ygrauen in most pure golde..in a brigirdil or in a girdil of þe skyn of vituli marini, i. a seel fish, or of a lyon, it preserueþ fro þe stone.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)65 : Ceel, fysche: Porcus marinus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3846 : Þan girds þare vp fra þe ground & grymly þaim woundis Of Seeles & of see-Bules a swyth grete nounbre.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5471 : Sum of seelis of þe see sendis to him cotis.
- (1471-2) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103643 : Pro cariag. 2 Selefish usque Dunelm., 3 s., 4 d.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)55 : For the thrydde cours, now take shalle..rosted mawlarde and cele þer to, With wodcoke and oþer smalle bryddys inow.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)548 : Ȝiff ye haue salt purpose, zele, torrentille, deynteithus fulle dere, ye must do afture þe forme of frumenty.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)823 : The baly of þe fresche samon, els, purpose, or seele [rimes: wele, heele, mele].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)110a : A Sele [Monson: Seyle], piscis est: Amphiuia.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)154/30 : Absteyne fro alle metis þat gendyr malencoly, as bef, porpeys, grapes, sel fyscys, elys, and sqwyche odyr.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.78 : Cymbria [Amber] is a ston þat comeþ of a fissh of þe see, & þat fyssh men clepen zele [F balaine].
b
- (1293) Doc.Cust.Sea in NRS 4922 fn. : Selesmer.
- (1306-7) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100505 : In 11 furur. de Rowthselyn, 66 s.
- (1325-6) Sacrist R.Ely 255 : Item, in..Campanis trussand. de ferro Dni., 1 s., 6 d.; In selisskymys [read: selisskynnys] empt. ad easdem, 4 s.
- (1398) Doc.in Boyle Hedon [OD col.] ()cvii : Soluti pro iiij sele skynnes pro cooperturis, vij d.
- a1400 Recipe MS Hal.in Rel.Ant.1 (Hal 335)51 : Another for wynd and ventosite..tak and make the a girdil of seel skyn, and whil thu weres hit aboute thi body thu sal noght have collicam passionem.
- (1400) Comp.R.in Frost Hullapp.5 : iiij bar' seilesmolt, val. viij li. xj s. viij d.
- (1400) Comp.R.in Frost Hullapp.20 : Pro..iij bar', vij pakk cum pellibus diversis ferarum, j bar' di' butiri, j bar', j fernedele, seilesmolt', xl flikk' bacon'.
- (1404) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.382 : Item, j tunnam zeelsmers, pro vj marcis.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)518/10 : Þe ymage of a lyoun grauen in fyn golde..in a brigirdel or in a girdel of a seles skyn [L vituli marini] or of a lyoun iborne, kepeþ fro þe stone.
- (1445) Will York in Sur.Soc.30116 : Johanni Routh, fratri meo, unam tunicam de geylskynnes [read: zeylskynnes].
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)566 : Þe childe sauter fell in þe se..Whiles þat þai þar aftir loke, Þer com a cele calf and it toke.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)733 : Þe seele calfe..Þat cuthbert buke had swelyed, he come before þaim swymmande, And kest þe buke vp on þe lande.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)18 : There be also barrells of selesmolles, barrells of terre, of the more bond and the lesse, barrells of asshys, of the bere clawe and the horne.
c
- (1400) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.61 : [12 bundles of salt salmon worth 12 £, 2 small fish called] seles [worth 5 s.].
d
- (1279) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)82 : Celeseye.
- (1314) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)82 : Celeseye.
- (1338) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)82 : Silesia.
- (1427) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)82 : Silesia.