Middle English Dictionary Entry
sellī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | sellī adj. Also sellẹ̄, (early) sillic(e, (early SWM) sellech, seollic(he, sællic, sællech, sulli(ch(e, sillich & (early infl.) sellichne, seollichen & (errors) sal ic, (late) solli. |
| Etymology | OE seldlīc, sellīc, (WS) syllīc. For confusion with sē̆lī adj., esp.in MSS of Cursor, cp., e.g., senses 1.(a) & 2.(a) with sē̆lī adj.1.(a), (b). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of events, actions, situations, etc.: strange, surprising, unusual; also, remarkable, noteworthy; ~ cas, ~ sight, ~ thing, etc.; (b) of a beast, tree, an object, etc.: remarkable, uncommon, marvelous; (c) of remarks, statements, ideas, attributes, etc.: uncommon, unusual, remarkable; of names: strange, foreign; (d) ~ thinketh, it seems unusual; ~ us (hem, me, etc.) thinketh, it seems strange to us (them, me, etc.); -- sometimes with clause; him thinketh ~ of (on), he wonders at (sth.); (e) ~ to heren, amazing to hear.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3084 : Þuhte Gurguint þon kinge hær-of swiðe sællic [Otho: sellich] þing whet þat scipen weoren þe he ifunde þere.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3457 : Muchel he dronk mede and win..ne dude nauer oðer god..Ah selliche [Otho: Sulliche] þi[n]ges weoren of þissen kinge, swa he leoueden here wel feole ȝere..þis lond wes on griðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4964 : Þer dude Maurius þe king a wel swuðe sællech þing.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11521 : Cnihtes..speken to þan kinge [Arthur] of seollichen [Otho: selliche] þinge.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)31/21 : Aȝein cunde hit is & unmeað sulli [Cleo: sullich; Tit: selli] wunder þet te deade dotie.
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.25 : Als i lay in a winteris nyt..i sauȝ a selly [vr. sely] syt; A body on a bere lay..Þe gost was oute.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1026 : Ðanne herde sarra swilc tiding And it hire ðogte a selli ðhing.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)8/115 : Herknez nou a selli tiding!
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)153/142 : Al þe peple þere present Wondred on þat selly siht.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26010 : It es o sinful man a sare He can noght wit him-seluen spare, And it agh be sa selle wonder Als þof his hert him brest in sunder.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)107 : If ȝe had noght here bene, We sold have herd a selly case.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)570 : His flesche trymblid For sere sygnes at he saȝe, as selly ware ellis.
- ?c1450 Nicod.(1) (Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.25)678 : Many other þat stode hym by, Þat sawe Þat selly [vr. sely] sighte, Knocked on þaire brestes and cryede mercy.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3209 : Hit wes sone icuð Morpidun þan king þat wes icumen of þare sæ a deor swiðe sellich [Otho: sullich].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8676 : Cnihtes..iseȝen þer on londe sellic [Otho: wonder] werc stonden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12191 : Þer wes moni sellic [Otho: wonder] clað.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15350 : Sw[ið]e scarp wes þe pic. þe staf wes swiðe sellic.
- a1300 Ancr.(Cai 234/120)60/8 : I þe wildernesse þat ge gat in wid godes folc toward ierusalemes londe..beod sulliche [Corp-C: þulliche] bestes.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)12768 : Me þohte in þare wolcne com an deor sellich [Clg: wunderlic].
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4052 : Ðe ginge wimmen of ðin lond..brigte on hewe, on speche glad, Wið ðgere sal ic [read: selic] sondes sad, Ðe [read: Do] ðu ten vt.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1224 : His gles weren so sellike Þat wonder þouȝt hem þare.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2734 : Þe forest was wel faire Wiþ mani aselly [read: a selly] tre.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)353 : Hit watz a cete ful syde and selly of brede.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1439 : On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)22/139 : For sutel is ant etsene o þine sulliche sahen þet tu were iset gung to leaf ant to lare.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1299 : Hule..Þu ȝeolpest of seolliche [Jes-O: selliche] wisdome.
- ?a1300 Loue is sofft (Dgb 86)21 : Loue is fol, loue is fast, loue is frowringe, Loue is sellich an þing.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)42/342 : His Modur hedde a selli þouht.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15171 : Roucestre..hadde a name selly In Breton, 'Dorciberni'.
d
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Fest.Virg.(Vsp D.14)19/49 : Gyf ænige mædene þe hæfde gemynt were to underfone wære gesæd þæt heo scolde sune geberen, ne þuhte hit hire sellic?
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3653 : Sillich [Otho: Seollich] us þuncheð Cezar, þu ært swa wis and swa war þat þu þenchest to beon keisere of alle quike monne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5179 : Fulgenes..uerde riht to Euerwicke, Brutten þutte sellic [Otho: sellech], þa burh he anan bilæi.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5349 : Sillic heom þuhte wha hæfde al þa mon-uerede þidere isende.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12990 : Arður..com to þan ulette þer þe feond lai..Æuere wes Arður ærhðe bideled. þet was sutel þer-on, sellic þah hit þunche.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13039 : Sellic [Otho: sellich] heom þuhte whar weore under heuene swulc hafed ikenned.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)9/4 : Ȝef him þuncheð wunder & sullich [Nero: selkuð] of swuch ondswere, [etc.].
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3260 : Ðis bode herde king pharaon, And him ðuhte sellic ðer-on.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3957 : Sellic ðogte balaam for-ði.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2170 : He seȝ non suche in no syde, & selly hym þoȝt.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)99 : Full selly me thynke Bot if this renke to the reuere ryde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)326 : Now certayn..selly me thinke.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1580 : Alexander..Sees slike a multitude of men in milke-quite clathis, And ilk seg in a soyte at selly him thinkis.
e
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8713 : The sorow þat ho suffert were solly to here.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10484 : Ectors moder..ffor the dethe of hir dere sonnes moche dole hade, With sykyng and sorow selly to here.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10753 : The corse caried was to courtte of the knight Paris, With myche weping & wo of his wale fryndes, And sorow in the Cite was selly to here.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13275 : The songe of þo Syrens was selly to here.
2.
(a) Of persons: exceptional, excellent; remarkable, noteworthy; strange; (b) of God, Christ, his birth, resurrection, miracles: wonderful, supernatural; (c) of a group, herd, etc.: large, numerous.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9405 : He scal streonien hire on ænne swiðe sellichne [Otho: selliche] mon.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)6880 : Þan com tydinge to Vortiger..þat ouer see weren icome swiþe selliche [Clg: selcuðe] gomes.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)466 : Sella..bar tubal, a sellic smið.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)83 : Bot ȝiue it be þurch ginne, A selly man is he.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)10934 : Speke we of sir zacari, Hou..He suld haue ion, þat selly [Vsp: seli] barn.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)24048 : A ful selli [Vsp: seli; Frf: cely] man war he þat wid þe might haue sene [Vsp: sene þaa pines o þi suete sun].
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)28/23 : Sæȝe us..on hwæs mihte ðu wurcæst þas syllice wundræ.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11005 : Seollic is þe lauerd þat al hit isette.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)49/522 : Ich heie & herie godd feader & his sulliche sune, ihesu crist hatte, & te hali gast.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)40/12 : Ich halsi þe o godes half..& o Iesues nome, his an sulliche sune.
- a1275 Stod ho (Tan 169*)32 : Ah, lauedi..Þi luue sone uprisinge was selli, liik to his birdinge.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2444 : Bitux him and his neueu loth, O fee þai had a selly flot.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)89 : Þer is comyn with him..Men of Mesepotayme..Of Syre & of Sychim, a selle nounbre.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1732 : Þou has samed..a selly [Dub: sellich] nounbre Of wrichis & wirlingis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5575 : A selly sowme of his seggis was slane or he wist.
3.
?In surname.
Associated quotations
- (1327) in Kristensson ME Top.Terms86 : Rob. del Selliok.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Lament Berkeley (Mid Mi O1)76 : Sodeynli assailled him a sekenes smert, A sselly shoite, bi my saule, shot vnder his side, Þat bi(re)ued him his rest, oright he moght not ride.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: "Shoite"= MED shot n. See sense 4.(e)"..a spasmodic pain in the side, stitch".
Note: "Sselly" probably belongs under sense 1.--per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Quot. a1300(a1250) Bestiary (Arun 292) 449 removed from sense 1.(b) to shil(le adj., q.v.