Middle English Dictionary Entry
sling(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sling(e n. Also slinke, scling(e, slenge, slenke & (?error, in cpd.) -lyng; pl. slinges, etc. & sling(ges, slingus, sclingen, (error) singes. |
| Etymology | ?From MLG slinge & slenge; cp. OFris. slinge, ODan. slynghe, OF (from Gmc.) esling(u)e. The form -lyng perh. from OF or from AL lenga, var. of slinga; for form slenke cp. MLG slenker, var. of slenger sling. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A hand-held weapon for throwing stones or similar missiles, a sling; also fig.; honde ~; ~ slaughte, game killed with a sling; ~ ston, a stone used as a missile to be thrown from a sling; staf ~, a sling attached to a staff [see also staf-slinge n.(a)]; (b) a soldier armed with a sling; honde ~; staf ~ [see staf-slinge n.(b)]; (c) ?a swinging or sideways blow.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)128/25 : Þou ert þe slinge, þy sone þe ston, Þat dauy slange golye op-on.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.47.5 : In takinge þe hond in þe ston of þe slinge, he þrew doun þe ioȝe of golie.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2019 : This geant at hym stones caste Out of a fel staf slynge [vrr. staf sclynge, staflyng].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7528 : Dauid..tok bot a staf and a sling [Göt: staf and a slenge; Trin-C: staf slinge].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14431 : Dauid..slogh golias wit his sling [Göt: scling].
- a1400 Þo oure lord god (Mrg M 957)p.319 : Ich habbe gode sclyngen after hym to te; ich schal breken hys wyngen atwo.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1191 : Þere comeþ to hym armed..fiftene þousandes..Þat swerdes and boklers boþe hadden, And axes, speres, forkes, and slynges.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3945 : Þa rauens cried euer onane..Nowþer for bow ne for sling No man might þam oway bring.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.941 : Who hath ben wel ibete To-day with swerdes and with slynge-stones [vr. slynke stones], But Troilus?
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21840 : Archars with boghes, sum with alblaste, And sum with singes [read: slinges], stanes to caste.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3318 : The sexte hade..a hande-slynge with harde flynte-stones.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Miseric.(Hrl 2255)21 : The slynge, the stoonys, v woundys did expresse, Off the iij nayles, the spere deep persyng.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)17b : To þrowynge of stones boþe wiþ hond and eke wiþ slynges ȝong werriours moste ben vsed.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)18a : A good strook of a stoon out an handslynge..ȝeuith his enemy his deþes wounde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)115b : A Slynge: funda..A Slynge stane: glans.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)184 : I haue slyngus smert and gode To mete with þeim ȝif þei were wode.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)250 : Þen shal þou se my slyng-slaght, And of þe best take vs a draght.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)p.6 : Funda: a sclynge.
b
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)39a : Aftir hem were ysette hondslinges and stafslynges [L funditores], þe whiche wiþ slynges casten stones.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2219 : Him-selfe of slingis & slike a-semblis a me[n]ȝe.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)3101 : Lete euery man..se hoo schalle haue the gouernaunce Off owre slyngges and of owre archerye.
c
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)616 : He etyllede withe a slynge [Dc: slenke] hafe slayne hym with sleghte; The swerde sleppis on slante, and one the mayle slydys.
2.
(a) A device consisting of a rope, belt, etc., formed into a loop and fitted to a tackle, etc., used to lift heavy objects; ~ rop, a rope used in such a device; (b) pl. the cords or chains holding a pan in a set of scales; (c) a snare, trap.
Associated quotations
a
- (1323-4) Sacrist R.Ely 248 : In factura le Slyngg, 1 [d.]..In emendacione Slynggys, 1 [d.].
- (1324-6) Sacrist R.Ely 259 : In slyngeropis empt., 1 [s.].
- (1358-9) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 397 : ij slyng., vj slyngrop.
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 397 : ij Slenges, vn Trusse, ij petitz handropes.
- (1413) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.248 : [2] sclyngys, [a cord called] bote rope.
- (1448-9) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.1353a : In iiij paribus slynges, vij s. vj d.
- (a1451) Will York in Sur.Soc.45100 : ij slyngez pro cervisia desuper portanda.
b
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)81/126 : My sorowes peysen not in her balaunce the weyght of a peese; Slinges of her daunger so hevily peysen, they drawe my causes..hye.
c
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1205 : I may soth synge 'Mankynde is kawt in my slynge.'
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1332) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10261 : Willo Slyng.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1431-2) *Mun.B.Bridgewater805 : For ij peyre slenggys to þe Crane, v s. vij d..for spykyng of ij peyr sclengs, ij d. ob.
Note: New spelling (2 forms, both singular = 'sleng' and 'scleng'.): 1. Amend slenge in form sec. to sleng(e. 2. Place scleng after slenke.--per MLL