Middle English Dictionary Entry
sikel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sikel n. Also sikel(l)e, sikul(le, sikhil, cikil(le, zikel, sicol, sicul, sichel, sekel(le, (in surname) sakel-; pl. sikeles, etc. & sikulse, sicles, siclze, siculus, ciclis, sigles. |
| Etymology | OE sicol, -ul, -el; ult. L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A sickle for reaping grain, etc.; also fig.; setten ~ forth, to start the debate; (b) ~ bon, a customary service of tasks requiring a sickle; ~ iren, ?a sickle-shaped implement associated with a mill; ~ makere, one who makes sickles; (c) a sickle-shaped design; (d) a siege weapon consisting of a curved blade attached to a battering ram; also, a weapon consisting of a curved blade attached to a pole used in naval warfare; also, a scythe attached to the side or wheels of a chariot; (e) ~ wort, a plant of some kind, prob. the scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis); (f) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)550/31 : Falx: sicol.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)45/382 : Þu schalt setten sikel forð ant seggen earest hwet tu wult.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)452 : Man may bi þe Mone i-seo þe ȝwyle heo is neowe riȝt; A luyte rondel ase a sikel Men seoth þar-on liȝt.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)325 : De faus fauchez un andeine de pre, [glossed:] siclze, mowe a swathe of mede.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.118 : Þat þe oþere Aungel had þe sharp sykel [vr. sichel] as þe first bitokneþ þat þe holy halewen shullen iuggen wiþ oure lorde.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)527 : Sarcle, faux, et faucil: Wedehoke, sythe, and sikulle.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 4.29 : Whanne of it silf it hath brouȝt forth fruyt, anoon he sendith a sikil, or hook, for rype corn cometh.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5248/18 : Clerico marescalcie..pro xij falsibus..pro xxxvj sygles, le piece pur iij s.
- (1399) Coroner R.in Seld.Soc.998 : Thomas the Smale..cum uno sycul precii ij d. felonice percussit predictum Johannem Smethecote in capite suo, per quod obiit.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.306 : Alle þat bereth baslarde, brode swerde, or launce..Shal be demed to þe deth but if he do it smythye In-to sikul or to sithe.
- c1400 Life Soul (LdMisc 210)47/12 : Men schullen blowe togydere here swerdes into scharres and here speres into sikeles.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2644 : All þat myght croke or sekell bere Went þat corne to repe & schere.
- (c1425) MSS Middleton in HMC107 : Men..that have non peyse of their owen growyng, lett hem gedur hem..with their handes and with no sykulse.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)77 : Cykylle [Win: Cykyl]: Fassilla vel fassicula.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1155 : Mak redy now vche needful instrument..The mattok..knyuys..with sithis, ciclis hokid [L gloss: falcibus messoris].
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)47b : Þey had sycles and sithes to repen corn & to mowe hey & gras.
- c1450 St.Eras.(Add 36983)p.202 : These ben þe passions..xxx was sheryng his flesshe with cikels.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)721 : He saw mony a foule bewschere..With scharpe toles in her honde; Summe hade syculus, knyvus, and saws.
- (1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30172 : Agneti Elowe..a knedyng trought, a sykhill, a persour.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)110a : A Sekill [Monson: Sekelle]: falx, falcicula.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)811/3 : Fals: a sekylle.
b
- (1356-7) Doc.Manor in MP 3455 : Sykilirens.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)26b/b : Falkarius: sikyl makere.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)41a/b : Metaxarius: an hechel maker or a sykel maker.
- (1438) *MS Add.Roll 41659 [OD col.] (Add Roll 41659) : Reddit per annum v s. iiii d., iiii sikilbons.
- (1438) *MS Add.Roll 41659 [OD col.] (Add Roll 41659) : xx d. tres ob. for hys sekylbone.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)110a : A Sekyll maker: falcarius.
c
- (1472) Invent.Hungerford in WANHSM 11 [OD col.]337 : A paire of cruettis of silver and gilte wth knottes of sikels.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16188 : [Two silver gilt basins] pounced [with] nodis [of] sykols.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16189 : [One] frountell [of red] velvett crymesyne [with divers] Compassis [of] sikels curiose embrowdat.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.13.2 : Judas knewȝ..for to cume..Lisias..with hym hauynge..chaaris with sykelis [WB(2): sithis; L falcibus] three hundrid.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102a : Þis gynne haþ..a greet beem..þe whiche beem may..be drawe abakward and let fle..Þe fore ende of þis beem is somtyme I-schod wiþ a grete crook of Iren to pulle out þe stones of þe walle; and þan is þis gyn I-cleped þe sithe or þe zykel or þe hoked snail.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)120a : Þe secounde wepoun or gyn nedfulle for schipwerre is þe sithe or þe sikelle, þe whiche is not elles but a scharp grounden Iren croked..sette on a long schaft or a pole, and serueþ forto kutte þe ropes þat þe sailȝerde hangeþ by.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2397 : If it haue but oon horn & it hooke A croche, it is a sikel or a sithe; It breketh and out bringeth stonys swithe.
e
- ?a1425 Alphita (Sln 284)196 : [Ypia] maior, habet florem rubeum, gallice pimpre, ualet ad incisionem prius sanguis exeat, pympre, anglice marie goldwert, secundum quosdam, anglice sikelwert uel chikemete.
f
- (1286) Let.Peckham in RS 77.31043 : John Sekelfot.
- (1302-3) *in Pilkington Surn. : Sakelfot.
- (1307) Close R.Edw.II503 : Gilbert Sikelfot.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10174 : Johne Sikilfot.
- c1444(1275) Cart.Lewes in Sus.RS 38 (Vsp F.15)104 : Gilbert Sikelfot.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)36/162a : Quoddam instrumentum metendi: a sekell
Note: Additional quote, sense (a).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 Daniel Herbal in Hunt Plant Names (Arun 42)8 : [Adarasca:] water elebre, sikelwort.
Note: Additional material, sense (e) (potentially more informative about identity of plant; earlier date). Hunt identifies 'adarasca' with Veratrum album (White Hellebore) or Helaborus viridis (green Hellebore).