Middle English Dictionary Entry
sē̆lī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | sē̆lī adj. Also selie, seliȝe, celi, zeli, selẹ̄, cele, sil(l)i, sali, (SWM) seoli & sẹ̄li & (early) sæli(ȝ & (in surname) selli-; comp. seliere, (early) sæligre. |
| Etymology | From OE (WS) sǣlig & (WS) gesǣlig, (?A) gesēlig. For confusion with ME sellī adj., esp. in MSS of Cursor, cp. senses 1.(a) & (b) with sellī adj.1.(a) & 2.(a). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iseli(e adj.
1.
(a) Spiritually favored, blessed; holy, virtuous; also, bringing God's favor, bringing blessing; (b) worthy, noble; fine, excellent; the ~ man, the goodman, husband; (c) fortunate, lucky, prosperous; (d) happy; also, bringing happiness, pleasant; also with echoes of other senses [quot.: c1395]; (e) wealthy; -- usedfig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)90/15 : Þurh þet ȝescead ane we beoð sæliȝre þonne þa unȝesceadwise nytene.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/29 : Ylc wisdom is of Gode; Forþi ylc mon is nu eadiȝ & sæliȝ þe for Gode wis bið.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)67/22 : Him is betere to..herberȝin sæli menn.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)74/517 : Ha..þurh seli martyrdom uerden..to Criste.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)6/9 : As he wende his wei, seh þis seli meiden Margarete.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)18/28 : Ȝeoue me þe seouene selie eadinesses þe þu hauest lauerd bihaten þine icorene.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)179/20 : Þis is a seli deað þet makeð cwic mon þus oðer cwic wummon ut of þe worlde.
- a1250 Lofsong Lefdi (Nero A.14)205 : Bisech for me þine seli sune.
- a1275 Serm.St.Nich.(Trin-C B.14.39)66/113 : Tressur of heuene þou scalt habbe..he is celi þat hit getet.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)143 : Nere he, mayde, ful seoly þat myhte wunye myd such a knyhte?
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1532 : He bad esau..If he toke him ðat he wulde eten, His seli bliscing sulde he bi-geten.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2782 : Moyses, moyses, do of ðin son, Ðu stondes seli stede up-on.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)987 : Þis seli widewe þo wel sone Grauntede wel al his bone.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.3.13 : Sely [WB(2): blessid; L felix] is þe bareyn & þe vndefouled.
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)1270 : Of þe world þou art seid..Blessed and sely bore [L felix..nata].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)210 : How our leuedi endid and yald Hir sely [Frf: blesset; Göt: semeli] saul, hit sal be tald.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)659 : Blysse..is restored in sely stounde.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6002,6006 : Ful sely es þat man or womman Þat a gude rekkenyng may yhelde þan..And swa sely may be alle þas, Þat fra hethen in charite gas.
- a1425 Primer (Add 36683)13 : Cely art thou, hooli virgyne marie, and worthiest al maner preisyng.
- c1440(?a1375) Abbey HG (Thrn)54/5 : The gude lady Charite..sall be abbas of this sely abbaye.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)214/323 : The lord of that house ye shall fynde A sympyll man of cely kynde.
- a1500 Earth(3) (Rwl C.307)12/24 : When erthe..shalle com to the laste calle, Than salle erthe ba [read: be] fulle ferde for þe sely salle.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.26 : Marye it fande sely, selyere, and most sely.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)77/675 : O mihti meiden..alle wurðschipe wurðe..tac read, seli wummon, of þi seoluen.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)549 : Wenden riþt to þare see selie cniþtes.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)744 : Þe ferde..forþ fusde touward þan seli Brutun.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1361 : The sylyman lay and herde, And hys wyf answerd; 'Dame,' he sayed, 'go thy way.'
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)419 : The knyȝtes with sperys tho smyten her horsys..In the felde to fyȝt..that was a sely syȝt.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)319 : Sely Adam shall sitt þe hende.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)4286 : He toke his leve at the kyng And at all his seli shyppyng.
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1244 : An angel..Tagte hire ðor a welle-spring, Ðat was hire ðor seli timing.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2546 : Egipte folc adden nið, For ebris adden seli sið.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3362 : Til his behoue haue i þe soght In seli time.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)513 : Now at erste shul ye here So sely an avisyon That..Scipion..Ne mette such a drem.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)392 : The by-tide a cely chaunce, thi lyfe was sauede this daye.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.56 : He that were wytty were sely.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.122 : Serue god herteli And þe werke be sely.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.185 : For tham that ar noght entrit inne The dance of lufe, bot thidderwart on way, In gude tym and sely to begynne Thair prentisshed..I pray.
d
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2608 : Þo hadden hii mochele riche inome..þo speken..þe seli broþers.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)64 : God hem quuad ðor seli suriurn.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2412 : Pharaon bad him wurðen wel, In softe reste and seli mel.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.132 : Man shal yelde to his wyf hir dette; Now, wher with sholde he make his paiement If he ne vsed his sely instrument?
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1410 : Y sagh þere folk..as feyre as aungelys..Þe syght was cely.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.503 : For sely is that deth..That, ofte ycleped, cometh and endeth peyne.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)27b/a : Felicio..make sely.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)452 : Sely, or happy: Felix, fortunatus.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)86/108 : Than say I, thou art blisful and fortunat, sely, if thou knowe thy goodes that thou hast yet beloued [read: beleved], whiche nothynge may doute that they ne ben more worthy than thy lyf.
e
- c1400 Bible SNT(2) (Dc 250)1 Pet.3.4 : A demure spyryte..is riche & cely in þe syȝt of God.
2.
(a) Innocent, harmless; good; (b) simple, guileless; foolish, gullible; doting; also, ignorant; (c) weak, helpless, defenseless, hapless; (d) of an animal, a fish: not morally responsible, not evil.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)16/230 : Wite þe, seli meiden..flih alle þe þing..þet tus unbotelich lure mahe of arisen.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)271 : Wen me serueþ þe king mid harpe & mid songe, Þench on seli Iosep þat her liþ mid wronge.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)453/138 : Aftur ane hare he saiȝh vrne grehoundes..'Alas,' he seide, 'þis seli best, þat no-þing ne doth a-mis.'
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)216 : For seli child is sone i-lered þare he þenchez to beon guod.
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.6 : Seli childe is sone ilerid And unselinis nevir aferid.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1702 : For sely [vrr. Cely, zeli] child wol alwey soone lere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3120 : Wel luued abraham ysaac, His seli sun, wit-outen saac.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.91 : Þere were i-seie wonder false siȝtes and fals tokenes, and þe sely men [L simplices homines] bere an honde þat it was for þe holynesse of þat man..and worschipped þe sepulcre of þe dede man..bote wise men lowh hem to scorne.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3896 : The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe Of wrecchednesse that passed is ful yoore.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4090 : This sely clerkes han ful faste yronne Toward the fen.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1076 : Noght wiste this preest with whom that he delte Ne of his harm comynge..O sely [vrr. seely, cele] preest! o sely innocent!
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)52/14 : Widowes ben ful of pite to ȝyue whanne þei ben pitousli axid and han no man to werne þis dede..& for þis ende þise flatiryng gloosars..cacchen awey þe goodis of þise celi widowis.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2532 : It oughte be to yow but lyte glorye To han a sely mayde thus betrayed!
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)36 : Yet sely tynkers wille put theyme in prese with grete presumpcion.
c
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)499 : Þe knif..was lewe Of þe seli children blod.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6446 : Is tueye ȝonge sones..seli ȝonge þinges, frendles were hii þere, Þat so uer, as milde lomb, to deþe ylad were.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.682 : Greet was..the repentaunce Of hem that hadden wrong suspecioun Vpon this sely [vrr. seely, cely] innocent Custaunce.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.658 : Hire seli spouse [Socrates] Was sett and loked on a bok Nyh to the fyr.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)287 : To maistir Iohn de Meun..it was a lewde occupacioun..to rollen vp and doun So long procees, so many a sly cautele, For to deceyue a cely damoisele.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.431 : Ȝe shal be..distroied A[s] sely shepe.
- c1435 Lydg.St.George (Bod 686)74 : Þis sely mayde quakyng in hir drede Vpon hir honde a shepe..dide lede.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)8.90 : Breris..This sely innocentis wole vnclothe.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)584 : On sele shepe [Vrn: God from heuene alihte chees For o mon þat he lees].
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6820 : Wommen..Thise sely tendre creatures..stryfe of kynde they ne kan.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1803 : Lord! howe shuld o sely lombe a-mong wolvis weld, And scape vn-I-harmyd?
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)520 : The ravenous [wolf] the sely lambe toppresse.
d
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)32.289/18 : Þis hermyt sat by a water brimme And saih twey sely fissches swimme.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)490 : Þat watz þe syngne of savyte..And þe saȝtlyng of hymself wyth þo sely bestez.
3.
(a) Wretched, unfortunate, miserable; pitiable; (b) humble, lowly; poor; (c) worthless, trifling, insignificant; ~ feue, very few.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)131 : Þis selie men..beoth here neiȝ for houngur dede.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1961 : Þanne is hare iangle & hare game to deme som sely wenche.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6717 : Hii..pulte out boþe is eye & huld him þere in prison vorte þe selimon gan deye.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)121 : Alas, þou seli fraunce! for þe may þunche shome, þat ane fewe fullaris makeþ ou so tome.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)576 : Þu most..þenk þat god it þe sende, Þi seli soule to amende.
- a1350 SLeg.Cec.(LdMisc 108)160 : Þou art lasse i-told Þan is a saly beggere aȝen god, ne be þou neuere so bold.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)268 : Þei struye godes good þer-wiþ..Þat muche mihte helpe Sely pore men.
- c1390 Disp.GM & Devil (Vrn)787 : Muche tale þou makest Þe foule bodi to queme, But of þe seli soule Takest þow no ȝeme.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1201 : The sely housbonde algate he moot paye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.871 : But tho gan sely Troilus for to quake.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)44 : Þanne Robyn, þe cely poure Reeve, Fynde noone amendes of harome ne damage, But leene growell and soupeþe colde potage.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Mutability MN (Hrl 2255)2 : The cely [vr. zely] man so litel of stature..what creature Maad of thes foure [elements] that been thus flettyng Miht..stedfast been heer in his livyng.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)68/1999 : Syn thou hast biraft me my maystres, Take me, poore wrecche, hir cely serviture.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)52/22 : The sely monke [F le povre moigne] was sore ashamed of and full of sorw.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7841 : Þe sely comouns Innocent Bade stille..Some þai hedid, some þai mayne.
- a1475 Mourn.Hare (Brog 2.1)60 : There is no best in þe word..That suffuris halfe so myche tene As doth þe sylly wat.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.120 : The owle to þe stone and þe stone to þe owle but euer a-bydyth þe sely [L grauis] owle.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.44 : Quhy lest God mak you so, my derrest hert, To do a sely prisoner thus smert.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5126 : Sely is the kyng Þat kepis the for counsell.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)668 : Þey wiln..y-worþen so grete..to brenne þe bodye in a bale of fijr, And syþen þe sely soule slen & senden hyre to helle!
b
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)484 : Opon a seli Asse he rod.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)109 : A seli vplondischse Man..ȝaf him ane olde Mantel.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.532 : Icham..a sely pouer man.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4565 : The sely widwe and eek hire doghtres two Herden thise hennes crye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1906 : Ther fore we mendynantz, we sely freres, Been wedded to pouerte and continence.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283b/b : The sely hors colt is y-foled in dyuers happe and fortune.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13610 : Þus gaf þaa seli men answar For-qui þai dred þe Iuus sar.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)75 : The sely olde man Joseph folowed hir algate wepynge.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)6.459 : That quene..bare hir childe in a lityll stall By twyxe an ox and a sely asse.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)3/73 : Mi sely wille shalle shewe to do trewly Yowre plesore; sely wille -- nay verily Mi grettist wille.
c
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2528 : Of an holi prechors word hii nolde noȝt so ofte þenche As of þe murye word as hom þincþ of þe seli [B: seliȝe] wenche.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)42.308/28 : Hire hed was bounden aboute wiþ a sely lynnene cloute.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.338 : In nouncerteyn ben alle youre observaunces, But it a sely fewe pointes be.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)195/24 : For to apparaylle with oure bodyes wee vsen a sely lityll clout.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)294 : A sely crysme myn hed hath cawth Þat I tok at myn crystenynge.
- c1450(1446) Nightingale (Clg A.2)7/151 : Oo sely appell, so eten of a tre!
- 1532(?a1405) Lydg.FCourt.(Thynne)57 : The sely wrenne, the tytemose also..haue free election To flyen yfere and togyther go.
4.
Punctual.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)13 : Ðe ðridde is þat man be waker and liht and snel and seli, and erliche rise and gernliche seche chireche.
5.
As noun: the blessed ones, the elect of heaven; the righteous or good; also, a righteous person.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)32/302 : Þu hauest se wel iseið..of þe seli sunderlepes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)35/13 : Þis is nu of þis wit inoh iseid ed tis chearre to warnin þen seli.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)266 : It sal ben ðe laste tid, Quan..seli sad fro ðe forwrogt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10563 : Quen þis seli mett þam same, þai grett þam-self wit gastli game.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23330 : Þe seli sal o þaim ha sight.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23369 : Þaa sele [Frf: cely; Göt: seli] þat sal leng in heuen, In bodi sal haf gifes seuen.
6.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1169) in Pipe R.Soc.1377 : Ailricus Seliman.
- (1198) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.9211 : Robertus le Seli.
- (1207) *in Pilkington Surn.184 : Rad. Seliman.
- (1260) Chester R.in Chet.n.s.8414 : Honde Seli-Saule.
- (1265) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.263 : Adam Sely.
- (1276) Let.Bk.Lond.B (Gldh LetBk B)264 : Johanna Saliwymman.
- (1280) Nickname in LuSE 55158 : Will. Selliman.
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.6617 : De 4 d. de Willelmo Sely.
- (1297) Nickname in LuSE 55158 : Joh. Selybarn.
- (1300) Court R.Lond.79 : John Silly.
- (1311) Let.Bk.Lond.B (Gldh LetBk B)18 : Robert Seely.
- (1315) Nickname in LuSE 55158 : Will. Seliheved.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames311 : Thomas Zely.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 3555 : Silyman.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7214 : Robertus Zelymon.
- (1472) in Sundby Dial.Wor.49 : Selimon.
- -?-(1378) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9674 : Nicholaus Selybarne, pistor.