Middle English Dictionary Entry
sorel adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | sorel adj. Also sorelle, sourel. |
| Etymology | OF sorel & AL sorellus, sourellus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sor(e adj.(1).
1.
(a) Of a horse: light reddish-brown, chestnut-colored; as noun: a sorrel horse; also fig.; also, as name of a horse; (b) as noun: hunt. a buck in its third year; (c) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.12 : [A horse called] Sorel Borgh..[a horse called] Sorel Cussak.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.113 : [He..had..a running horse called a] yongesorell.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.165 : [A] sorell [horse worth 10 £].
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.202 : [A horse called] sorell.
- (1406) Will York in Sur.Soc.4341 : Lego Thomæ Appilby..equum meum vocatum sorell.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.202 : Of hire can no man thank deserve That trottyth on the drye londe, But on them she wyl have a bonde As weel of bayard as of brende, And yit for sorelle she wyl stonde.
- -?-(1436) Will in Som.RS 16141 : [I bequeath..a] sorel [horse].
- -?-(1469) Will in Som.RS 16216 : I will that my seruant William Wilson have a sorelle hackney of mine.
b
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf e iv/a : And ye speke of the Bucke, the fyrst yere he is A fawne..the iij yere a sowrell.
c
- (1152-67) Anc.Chart.in Pipe R.Soc.1061 : Philippus sorel.
- (1178) in Pipe R.Soc.2742 : Jacobus de Munt Sorel.
- (1208-9) Bk.of Fees19 : Lucas Sorell.
- (1214) Fine R.King John539 : Robertus de Muntsorel.
- (1267) Pat.R.Hen.III158 : Thomas Sorel.
- (1341) Court R.Colchester 1187 : Will. Sorel.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Diseases Horse (Yale 163)26 : A sadde sorrell is best..wyth a white mane and wyth a white taille.
Note: Additional quot., sense (a).