Middle English Dictionary Entry
soil n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | soil n.(1) Also soil(l)e, soiel, sol(e, sule, suile, suaille. |
| Etymology | AF soil land, earth, var. of OF sueil, suil, souil. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A land, country, etc.; one's native land; (b) a piece of ground or property; also, a location, site [quot. c1450 Capgr.]; also, a battlefield [quot. c1425]; ground and ~; (c) the earth, ground; the surface of the earth; also, the ground in which plants grow, soil.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3967 : It ne longeth vn-to womanhede In straunge soille to stryuen or rebelle.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1724 : Darius..Þe souerayne sire of my soyle [Dub: sole] þat sittis in my trone, [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3728 : Oure soile or þou seke vmse þe be tyme.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2334 : To Cades þen þei toke the gatte, A soyle þat was full seldom sene.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)100.9 (v.2:p.127) : The doctryne of streyte religious livyng was nat yet knowen ner exercised in his natal sool.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)712/26 : And the lorde of the soyle be a jantylman born, that same vylayne shall destroy all the jeauntylmen aboute hym.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)33/35 : Þe natyff..rudnesse of my modur-tounge hathe..inflectyd & cankeryd my speche & my language wt þe barbarisme of þe soyle þe wch I haue be fostryd & brought forthe yn of youthe.
- ?a1475 Com.Proph.M.(PennSt-U PS V-3)106 : This mysaventure..hath chaced vs ovt of oure lond and propre soile [L cunctasque nationes].
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)136 : The word sprange in to Araby..In Cypres and in many a soyle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)317 : That was Jocund and Joly and Jacomede hight; Hit was þe souerayne Citie of the Soyle euer.
b
- (c1384) Doc.in Bk.Lond.E.231/26,33 : That to be performyd yn the forme After wrytten, That ys to wytten: All the Fronntte of the seyde soyle, A-ȝenst the hye Strete..the seyd Richard Wyllesdon Schall..byld vp-on the seyd Soyle, in-warde, A Chef dwellyng place Above Stag.
- (1424) Indent.Furness in Chet.n.s.78 (PRO DL 25/398)773 : The which mosse, more, and pasture the said Richard has otherwhile claymet as his soile and freholde.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5754 : Sir Sadolle A riche Gregay smot In that soille.
- (1429) Red Paper Bk.Colchester54 : Upon wich ryver the Bayllies and the comenaltie of the seid towne han set a mille, of passyng gret tymber, setting parcell upon the ground and soille of the seid Abbot.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.1978 : Fro thens but a litil space A soil she [Dido] fond ful delectable off siht.
- (c1442) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.314 : Thomas Burgoyn..to the seid manoir now off late hath encroched to his owne soill diuers parcellis of pasture and off mede parcell off the seid manoir.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)95b : Alle citees and castelles..moot ben I-warded oþer by kynde or by craft..By kynde, as ȝif a citee by sette..in a place þere þe see ebbeþ & floweþ al aboute, or in a mury or mory soyl, or þere þat fresche ryuer may renne al aboute.
- (1450) RParl.5.186b : In recompence of certeyn ground and soile in the Town of Cambrigge, uppon the whiche we have edified a notable part of oure Collage of oure Lady and Seint Nicholas; the which ground and soyll we hadde of the feoffement of the said John Fray.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)45 : The descripcioun of þe place schal I write as I fynde, leuynge þe soile for to be soute of hem þat wil walk and take heed mor bisily þan I ded.
- (1455) RParl.5.316b : Of any Graunte by us made unto him..of two Wynde Milles within oure Toune of Caleys, with a soile or a voide grounde called the Mille hille.
- (1463) Deed Yks.in YASRS 6385 : Sir William..infeffed ye seid William his son in all ye landes and tenementez yt he hadd in ye tounes and soiles of Newton Potter, Chappell Allerton, More Allerton, Clyfforde and Allerton Gledhowe.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.371 : Item, that euery man kepe his soyle clene and his pavyment hole.
- (1470) RParl.in OHS 5864 : With the appurtenaunce of a soyle and a grownde of wode callid Blakeley.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1387 : Uch a syde upon soyle helde seven myle.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)443 : Þe whyle God of his grace ded growe of þat soyle Þe fayrest bynde hym abof þat euer burne wyste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3313 : Þe soil, smoþe, bare, and pleyn, Þei maked han redy to bere greyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4383 : Þis toun was brent & brouȝt lowe, Boþe tour & wal with þe soil made pleyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2998 : Þei fil al-most boþe ded..Of whos bledyng þe soiel gan wexe wet.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)14 : Flora..The soyl hath clad in newe tendre grene.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1637 : Whan þei had considered..þe longe distaunce Of ony good soyle, þei seid it was impossibilite That in þat place ony good dwelling schuld be.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)342 : Moold, or soyle [Win: sole] of erthe: Solum, humus.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)484 : Sule [Win: Svyle], erthe: Solum, tellus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1252 : It was semand to siȝt as all þe soyle trymblid.
- a1456 Of alle þe craftes (Add 16165)p.37 : Þe cultre kerveþe in his kuynde þe tydee soyle.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)88/32 : Of fire ys maad þe erthe, of suaille erthly þinge.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2649 : With his blood the soile was died red.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)48 : Yeff ye will make a preffe herin, erye too pertis off londe lyke in luste & lyke in soyle & sowe hym all at onys þe one withe seede þat growe vpon your owne londe and þat oþer with seede þt growe vpon oþer menys londis.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : The lengythe of iij barly cornys make an ynche, so that barly growe in comyn soyle, not to lene, nodyr to muche compost abowte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13564 : His broder..ffell vnto fote & his fole esyt, And hym-selfe on the soile set hym onone.