Middle English Dictionary Entry
setlen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | setlen v. Also setel, settel(le, (K) sedlen & (chiefly N, SEM, EM, or NEM) satle(n, sat(t)el(le(n & (error) sallyn; p. setled(e, etc. & set(t)eld, sateld(e; ppl. setled, etc. & iseteled, isatled, satteld & (errors) i)seclid. |
| Etymology | OE setlan; for forms satlen, etc. & sedlen, cp. ME satil , (sg.gen.) satles-, sadels-, sidles- (vars. of setle n.) & OE sætl, (A) seatl, sedl, vars. of setl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To seat (sb.), place in a seat; ben setled, be seated, be placed; (b) ben setled, to be situated, be located.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14049 : Teȝȝ..bærenn þa to drinnkenn Þatt hæfedd mann þatt heȝhesst wass Att tatt bridale settledd.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15285 : Þatt allderrmann..heȝhesst wass Att tatt bridale settledd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23340 : For þair misfar suld þai not murn..Bot suld þai haf a gret delite To se þam seclid [read: setlid; Frf: setled; Phys-E: settil] in þair site.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)187/7 : The noble kyng commaunded sir Clegis to loke that thes men be seteled and served with the beste.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4429 : All þe sauour of ȝoure sauls is sattild in ȝour mouthis.
2.
(a) To sink down, descend; of ground: give way, sink, cave in; ben setled, of the sun: set; of the firmament: descend, lower; ~ doun, ben setled doun; (b) ben setled, of a ship: to be grounded (in a muddy bottom); (c) of flood waters: to subside, go down; of the parted waters of the Red Sea: flow back.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)27/758 : Manne, wanne þyt takest, ase oþer mete In-to þy wombe hyȝt sedlyþ.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2452 : Þe semli sunne was setled to reste.
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)8186 : Þe grounde satled [Lamb: Whan þy werk on heyght larged, Þen schok þe ground & þeym over charged].
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)229 : Bot euer in his hert he thoght Þat þe firmament was satteld doun Wele lawer þan it was won.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)440 : Saggyn, or sallyn [read: satlyn; Win: stytlyn]: Basso.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)328/248 : Whan it [a shaft] sattles or sadly discendis..Outher..bendes, Hardly lat hakke of myn hand!
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)42/16 : Myne handdys felle downe on aythere syde, and also for vnpowere my heede satylde down on syde.
b
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1742 : They [ships] been nat ȝit I-setelid ne fixid in þe wose.
c
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.25 : The first dai sal al the se Boln and ris and heyer be..Bi sexti fot..the tother day Sal it sattel..And be lauer than it nou esse.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)437 : The see sett vp appon sydes twayne In manere of a mode walle..And Pharaoo full fersely folowede thaym aftire..And the see sattillede [vr. satild] agayne and sanke thaym there-inn.
3.
(a) Of a bird, a dragon: to alight from the air; (b) of wildfire: to come to rest (upon sth.), land (on sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)485 : Hym þinkeþ a goshauk in grete fliȝth Settleþ [LinI: Setliþ] on his herbergeynge.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)489 : A dragoun of his denne gan fleiȝe..And settleþ [LinI: setlede]..On stede þere þe quene was.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3281 : Þey schute wilde fyr to þe tour..þat fyr þat setlede so on þe walle ȝerne hit gan to brenne.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3291 : Melk of þe camele me fette..& þer-wiþ sche mellede vynegre..þar þat fyr was setled on þe walle, oueral þer-with sche spreynte &..þay seȝe it alle how þat fyr a-queynte.
4.
(a) To come, direct one's course; (b) fig. of sorrow, God's word, prayer, etc.: to descend; come (upon sb.), settle (in the heart, soul, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2465 : The price men prekes and proues þeire horsez, Satills to þe cete appon sere halfes.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24225 : Al þe baret þat he bar, It setteld [Göt: satlid; Phys-E: seteld] in þi hert ful sare, Wit-vten ani mis.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)409 : Muche sorȝe þenne satteled vpon segge Jonas.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.81 : Praier may not satyllyn but oonliche on them alle.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)149/25 : I prey þe, Lorde, make þi holy word to sattelyn in her sowlys.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)212/30-31 : I make þe to prey..þat myn holy wordys myght sattelyn as sor in her hertys as þu woldist þat þei schulde sattelyn in thyn hert.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)52/24 : We be-seke ȝow, þat ȝe late oure prayeres sattell in ȝour hert.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)243/69 : Wille ȝe leue me þus lightly..In sorowe and in sighyng Þat sattillis full sore?
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.336 : Ye wil wepe, and ye your fynger kytte: how shulde it thanne satel [vrr. setyll, satille, settylle] in oure witte Ye myght redresse al that was now spoke?
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)6255 : Thys cunselle þat ye cunsell me May neuer setyll in myne herte.
5.
(a) To become lower in estate, come down in the world; (b) to cause (sorrow) to diminish or subside.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.225 : Þis legate Ottobone mad a cursyng hard Of þam euerilkone..& som of þer heyres..it peyres, & som has satled sore.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4562 : Þe comli quen of palerne oft crist þonked, þat..hade setteled hire sorwe so sone, þat was huge.
6.
(a) Of a liquid: to become still so that suspended particles or impurities are separated as scum or sediment; (b) of suspended particles in a liquid: to collect and sink as sediment.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)180a/a : Be þai wele medled togider & lete it sattel & take residence [Ch.(2): reste; L residere].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)9/37 : Temper it vpe with an egge schelle ful of white wyne & late it sattill.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.7 : Take wete and stepe hit..Sethe hit with mylke and water..Þorowgh a herseve loke þou hit sye, And let hit stonde and setel bye.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)101 : Sye it throughe a clothe and let it stond and settelle.
- a1500(1471) *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)851 : Yey lyke lyquyte pyche yt tyde schall swell, burbyll, settyll, & putrifye.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)166b/b : After be it late sattle [Ch.(2): reste; L residere] vn to it descende to þe bothom.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)59/40 : Poudry resolucions..ar..putte out with þe vryne; And for þai ar heuy and erþi, þai satle in þe grounde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)12.480 : That oil is best that flowith out allone..whanne her dregges sattled doun beth go..is hit to do In glas vessel.
7.
(a) In phrase: ben setled, to become stable, be stabilized; (b) to fix (the mind or soul in love or devotion).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2405 : Til that youre sighte ysatled [vrr. stabelid, ystabelysshed] be a while Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigile.
b
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)3/13 : Wakynand, treuly besy I am to warme my saule als wer with calde þirled, þe whilk, sattyld in deuocion, I knaw wele sett o fyer.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)99/33 : Þerfore my mynde to þi power take & make itt stabyll..my mynde, so in þe sattyld, so in þi lufe byrne þat with no chauns sodan ne auysyd it be kelyd.
8.
Misc. senses: (a) to affect (the heart), afflict; (b) ~ on, to befall (sb.); ben setled on, be brought on (sb., one's people), befall; (c) = saughtelen v.(a).
Associated quotations
a
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2583 : Cause of yeur distres Hath my hert I-seclid [read: I-setlid], & fixid hem a nye As trowith woll..for hir trechery.
b
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)379 : Hit schal be satled [vrr. sattille; falle] on þy-self, þe same þat þou atlest; Þus han þey certifiet þe.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1216 : We han geten vs a gate aȝen ȝour wille; Þat schal be satled [vrr. satell; sytte] sour on ȝour sory kynde!
c
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1057 : Þe kyng satles [vrr. saughtlis, acordyd] with þe segge þat hym saued hadde, & þer graunted hym grace to go wher he wolde.