Middle English Dictionary Entry
soilen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | soilen v.(1) Also soil(l)e, suilen; p. soiled, etc. & soulid; ppl. soiled, etc. & isoiled, isoilud, isoilled, soulid, isuiled & (error) suyvelid. |
| Etymology | OF soillier, souillier, soullier, suillier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. assouled ppl., solen v., solwen v., sulen v., and soilen v.(2), which last may simply represent intransitive and reflexive uses of this word.
1.
(a) To make (sth.) dirty, soil; also fig.; ppl. soiled, dirty, soiled; (b) to pollute (sb.) morally; dishonor (sb., a body), disgrace; -- also refl.; defile (sth.), pollute, taint; -- also without obj.; also, violate (a marriage bed); also, pollute, defile [quot. a1250, 1st]; ppl. soiled, defiled, polluted.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)10 : So clene he cam fram his moder wiþoute eni hore & so drie þat no cloþ þat neȝ þe moder was Ne neȝ þis ȝunge child ibore noþing isoilled nas.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.458 : Thus haukyn þe actyf man hadde ysoiled [vr. ysuyled] his cote Til conscience acouped hym þere-of..Whi he ne hadde wasshen it.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.2,13 : Þough it [cloak] be soiled [vrr. soulid, suyled] and selde clene, I slepe þere-inne on niȝtes..couthe I neuere..kepen it clene an houre Þat I ne soiled [vr. soulid] it with syȝte or sum ydel speche.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.933 : Disconsolat thoruh his vnhappi caas, His face soiled with water of the se, [etc.].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.476 : Valerian..was to cruelli vengable, With his feet..To soille the bak of an emperour.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)11383 : Thanne entrede kyng Artheur..with his swerd on honde, that Soyled hit was with hors blood & mennes.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)4/33 : Hir heede was wrappid in a suyvelid [vr. suyled; F sale] kerchif like as it had ben through suotte and asches.
b
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)37/8 : Ure louerd i schilde on þet te breð of hore stinkinde þrote ne neihi ou neuer; oþer speche soileð & fuleð, ac þeos attrieð þe heorte & te earen bo-ðe.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)70/22,24 : Ich am amon mid suilede lippen..ich wunie among men ðet suileð hore lippen.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)70/31 : Vor þi fleih sein iohan ðe feolauschipe of fule men, leste he were isuiled.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)317/67 : Do wei, do wei..ne soile mi mouþ noȝt.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7209 : Prustes mid vnclene honden & mid lechors mod Al isoyled [B: ysoilud; vr. y suyled] sacrieþ godes fless & is blod.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)138.18 : Ȝe men suiled wyþ sinȝe [L viri sanguinum], bowe fro me.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)355 : Wiþ duntes he was to deþe i-do; Vp-on a tre his bodi was soyled.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)50/6 : Wicked wordes, & þouȝttes, manslauȝttres, avoutries..soylen þe soule.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2130 : Leuere I haue my liff as now to lese, Rathere than soile my widwes chastite.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2382 : The hooli bed diffouled of mariage, Or onis soilled, may nat recurid be.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2743 : Soiled he was..With al the spicis of pride & lecherie.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)32/14 : A goodli knyght schulde not soile him in the broth of vilony.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)39 : Mans soule is soylyd wyth synnys moo þanne seuyn.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4303 : Diuerse kirkes þai [Danes] defoyled, And with þair synn schent and suyled, And pitousley þaim pollute.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4881 : Here how þe scottys þat cuthbert suyle And haly eland mynster defuyle Sodanly were sonkyn.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)985 : Thow art soyled in especyal Off the synne orygynal.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)3992 : Our statutis & lawis thou hast soiled Bi thoccasion of thi pareilous language.