Middle English Dictionary Entry
setle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | setle n. Also setel(e, setil(l)e, settel, sotel, (N) satil & (early) setl, settle, (early SWM) seotel, seotle, sættele & (error) secle; sg.gen. (early) setles, (in place names) seteles-, satles-, sadels-, sidles-; pl. setles, etc. & sotles, soeteles & (errors) sertles, sorteles. |
| Etymology | OE setl, sætl, sitl, sot(o)l, (A) seotl, seatl, sedl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A place for sitting, a seat; a chair, bench, stool, etc.; also fig.; long ~ [see long-setel n.]; (b) a special chair reserved for the holder of a position of authority or special dignity; a throne; dom ~, judge's seat [see also dom n.8.]; heigh ~; setten on ~, to place (sb.) in (an abbot's) chair; give royal authority [last quot.]; sitten in setles, hold royal power; (c) the throne of God or Christ, Judgment Seat; also fig.; also, a throne in heaven for one of the elect; ?also, the seat chosen by Christ during the descent to hell [1st quot.]; thrum ~ [s.v. thrum n.(1)]; (d) a privy; (e) the part of the body upon which one sits, posterior; (f) ~ hous, ?a showroom connected to a shop.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(OE) Bod.Aelfric OT (Bod 343)20/96 : Ða næfde he nan setl, hwær he sittan mihte.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)59 : Adam..forlet god his louerd..Et sedit in cathedram pestilencie, and set on þe setle of unhele.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14734 : Þe moneurs for þair misgilt..þair setles þat þai in can sete, He kest þam dun vnder þair fete.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)1.1 : In strete of sinfulle noght he stode, Ne sat in setel ofe storme vngode.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)882 : A cheyer by-fore þe chemne..Watz grayþed for sir Gawan..& he sete in þat settel semlych ryche.
- a1425 *Trev.Barth.(Mrg M 875)251a/b : Þe þridde kynde of wiþie is..smoþe to handelynge & þerof beþ made diuerse nedful þinges to housoholde, as stoles, soeteles [vr. sorteles; L sedes], panyeres, & knippes.
- a1425 Trev.Higd.(Hrl 1900)4.99 : Sotels [vr. sotles; L subsellia, id est, sedilia; StJ-C: Al þe array þerof was i-solde, and benches, stoles, formes, and all manere stoles were i-do þennes].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3270 : Thereone was a chayere of chalke-whytte siluer..Appon þe compas ther clewide kyngis..Sex was of þat setill fulle sodaynliche fallen.
- a1450(?a1349) ?Rolle Luf es lyf (Cmb Dd.5.64)9 : Þe settel of lufe es lyft hee..Þe bede of blysse it gase ful nee.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)34/26 : Aftir þese twenty..on þe benche were sette..alle þat out of þis felawschip or setils myȝt be founden in any steede of his rewme..as traytours & gilty dampned..be & kast in a dongoun.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)8.8 : Foghlis of heuen ere proud men that wild hegh thaire setill abouen all other.
b
- 1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1131 : Cusen þa muneces abbot of hem self and brohten him into cyrce mid processionem..setten him on þes abbotes settle.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8307 : Þa sat Agag þe king inne his hæh sættele.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)117/1 : De fructu uentris tui ponam super sedem tuam: Of ðo wastme of ðine wombe ic wille setten uppe ðine setle.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)158/8 : Skile sitte as domes mon up o þe dom seotel [Tit: setele; Nero: stol].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)106.32 : In kirke of folke him vpheue þa, And in setel [Vulg. cathedra] ofe elde þai him loofe swa.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18997 : He wist þat godd til him had suorn þat an suld of his sede be born To sitte in sertles [Göt: setlis] þat was his.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)131.11 : Lord swore til dauid sothfastnes..'of the froite of thi wambe, i sall sett on thi setil.'
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.Nicod.(Vsp D.14)86/1 : Gesegen heo hine sitten on þan setle þe he sylf geahnede.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.Quadr.(Bod 343)46/29 : Ðet fulfremede festen..mid ælmessen & bedum þone heofen þurhfærð, & to þæs hyhstæn Godes setle becymð.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)45/483 : O ihesu, godes sune, þe hauest þin hehe seotel o meiðhades mihte hire to muche menske.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23058 : Alle þe hali men sal cum Wit vr lauerd vnto þe dome..in þair setteles [Göt: settlis] for to sett, For felauscip vr lauerd to bere Bath als iustis and demester.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6122 : Our loverd..At þe dredeful day of dome sal sitt..In dome to deme alle þe werld þan Opon þe setil of his mageste.
- a1450(?c1343) Rolle EDormio (Cmb Dd.5.64)62/46 : If þow stabil þi lufe and be byrnande whils þou lyfes here, withowten dowte, þi settel es ordaynde ful hegh in heven.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)113/163 : Þou sal com till reste þat lastes ay, and syt in a setel of joy with aungels.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)4.9 : I sall rest in the bed of endles blis and in the setil of heuen.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)10.4 : Dominus, in celo sedes eius..lord, in heuen the setil of him.
d
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)594 : Imai þe uinde ate rum huse..among þe netle; Þu sittest and singst bihinde þe secle [Jes-O: seotle].
e
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)149/17 : Eft wið ȝicþan þæs setles, seod þa wyrt saluiam on wætere & mid þa wætere beþe þat setl, hit ȝeliþecget þane ȝicþan healice.
f
- (1405) in Salzman Building in Engl.479 : Johannes Dobson faciet..unam magnam shopam cum quadam domo ex parte orientali predicte shope vocanda Sotelhous cum quadam porta et aleia.
- (1405) in Salzman Building in Engl.480 : Super quasquidem Shopam Sotelhous et Aleiam predictus Johannes Dobson construet..duo stages.
2.
The place where the sun sets; ~ gang [see setl-gang n.]; gon on ~.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)15/23 : Ad eos, qui non possunt uidere a sole donec ad occasum..þe man, þe ne mæȝe nengi [read: nenig] ȝeseo after sunna upgange, ær sunna eft on setl ga.
3.
(a) An abiding place, abode; ancre ~, an anchorites' retreat; (b) an abiding place of the soul after death; (c) fig. the place in a person where evil spirits or vices reside.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ic haue here godefrihte muneces þa wolden drohtien here lif on anker setle gif hi wisten hwere.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.Nicod.(Vsp D.14)86/26 : Beelzebub fleah þa into helle botme, & ure Drihten him strangode æfter, & hine befran hwy he swa swyðe nyðer his setle gecure.
b
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)61/105 : Þet secle [read: setle] swa ho radden þus þer god scal herberȝen us, Crist us ȝife þider to cumen.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)17872 : Adam..Bigan..forto blith in hast, wid patriark and wid prophete, In m[i]rk settlis þar þai sete.
c
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)p.504 : Thou did down ill gastis & vicys of thaire alde setile, that thai hafe na powere in my saule.
4.
In place names [see Smith PNElem.2.121].
Associated quotations
- (c1180) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)525 : Setelescumbe.
- (1218) EPNSoc.35 (West Riding Yks.)150 : Setell.
- (1218) EPNSoc.35 (West Riding Yks.)151 : Setele.
- (c1220) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)525 : Satlescumbe.
- (1316) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)525 : Sadelscombe.
- (1325) EPNSoc.35 (West Riding Yks.)151 : Setle.
- (1340) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)525 : Sidlescombe.