Middle English Dictionary Entry
sicle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sicle n. Also cicle; pl. sicles, cicles, (error) siches. |
| Etymology | L siclus, AL ciclus & OF sicle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An ancient unit of weight; (b) an ancient Hebrew unit of currency, a shekel.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333a/a : Ciclus in latyne hatte sicta in hebrew & weieþ an vnce among hem; and among þe grees riȝt as among latyns Siclus is þe fourþe part of an vnce..and weyeþ tweyne dragmes. ]
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.24.22 : The man brouȝte forþ golden eerrynges peysyng two syclez.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 14.26 : Absolon..ones..in þe ȝeer..was doddid..he weiede þe heris of his heuyd wiþ two hundrid cicles bi þe comun weiȝte.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.135 : Symon..sente þe Romayns a schilde of gold of a þowsand numinasmata [read: numismata], is a manere weiȝte oþer a maner money and weieþ sixty cicles.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)43bb : He gaf her ij rynges to hange on her eeris weyeng ij sycles & as many armyllis weyeng x sycles.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)203/7 : [Absalom] as ofte as me euesede him salde his euesunge..for twa hundret sicles [Pep: siches; Cleo: schillinges] of seoluer iweiet.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.23.15 : Þe erþ þat þou askist is worþ fourehundreþ sycles [L siclis] of syluer.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.7.14 : Þer weryn..alytul morter of ten ciclis of gold [WB(2): goldun siclis] fool of ensense, anoxe, [etc.].
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)53/107 : A ferþing..in þis place..signefieþ þe fourþe part of a sicle, þat is fyue halpens.
- a1425 LOL (Wnds E.I.I)65/4 : It is wretin in þe lawe of þe Lord, forwhi ech male kinde..þei shulden aȝenbie him for fyue siclis of siluer.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)62 : The child..was bouȝt aȝen as a seruaunt for v penyes, that weren cleped cicles, a manere of money after the lawe.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)188 : He sawe a pore wydowe offerynge tweyne mytes, the ferthe parte of a sicle.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.190 : God bad þat..euery man schulde payyn to his tabernacule half a sicle þat was fyue pens.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Hrl 3862)6.133 : Cicles [Dur-U: his mothir..Hir offringe made list not for to striue, For hym ayeyne to pay shillynges fyfe].