Middle English Dictionary Entry
sparkle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sparkle n. Also sparcle, sparkel(e, sparkille, sparkul, sperkel, sperkulle; pl. sparkles, etc. & sparclus, sperkillus, sperklis, spercles & (error) sperlkes. |
| Etymology | From spark(e n. & -el suf.(1); also cp. sparklen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A small piece of burning material, a fiery particle, spark; also fig.; -- also coll.; ded ~, an extinguished spark, ash; -- also coll.; (b) fig. a small amount or trace of something, a small bit or germ from which something springs, the spark (of love, lechery, etc.); also, the last remaining bit [2nd quot.]; (c) in proverbs, prov. expressions, and conventional comparisons.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.59 : An hundred devel on him dongen..At ilke a dint þe sparkles sprongen, As of a brond þat were forbrend.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.19.28 : Abraham..seeyȝ a multitude of sperkels [vr. sperklis] steying vp from þe erþ as smoke of a fourneyse.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.6.11 : Þe prest..shal be spuled þe raþer cloþes & cloþed wiþ oþer, he shal offre hem out off þe tentes & in most clene place vnto alytul sparcle [WB(2): a deed sparcle; L favillam] he shal make to be wasted.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.2.2 : Smoke & blast is in oure nesetherlys, & sermoun of [read: is] a sparcle to steren togidere oure herte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3885 : Foure gleedes haue we whiche I shal deuyse: Auauntyng, lyyng, anger, coueitise; Thise foure sparkles [vr. sperlkes] longen vnto eelde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132b/b : Sparcle [L Scintilla] is a litil particle of fire I-broke of firy matiere.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)2925 : He say þat cuntre al bidene..Wiþ sparcles [Arms: sparcle] & smeke couered abouen As hit were a brennyng ouen.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Job 42.6 : Therfor Y repreue me and do penaunce in deed sparcle and aische.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)200/26 : He þat wole wel quenche þe fuyre of leccherie, he schulde quenche all þe sparcles þat cometh of hit.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)467 : Sparkle, of fyyr: Scintilla, favilla.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)8544 : Wyþ swerdes of werre double dyntes, Þe sparkles fleye as fir of flyntes.
- a1450 Lydg.ST (Bod 776)2555 : Spercles [vr. sparkles; Arun: O Cruel Mars ful..of thy kynde hoot..As the sperkes shewen fro so ferre By the stremes of þi rede sterre].
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)136 : Everi grene-growe tre..Hadde bremliche a brid þe braunchus alofte..Þat whan þer buskede a burn a bow for to touche, Þei spatten sparclus of fir and spilden him raþe.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15675 : I hurtle thys harde stoonys tweyne, Smyte fyr with al my peyne, Make the sparklys out to gon.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)1176 : The sparkylles conne to-sprynge..From sheld and helmes clere.
- a1500 *Medulla (Cnt D.2)55a/a : Fomites: hoote sparkels [Stnh: sparkes] of yron.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5881 : Somtime whanne þe night is shire, Sparcles of þat fire clere..Falle and perceth þe aire a night.
- c1500 Libeaus (Ashm 61)288/1367 : The sperkyllus [Lamb: The pecis canne of-sprynge].
b
- c1400(a1349) Rolle MPass.(1) (Cmb Ll.1.8)24/155 : Soue in myn herte, þat is hard os ston, a sparcle of compassyoun of þat dere passyoun.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Kings 14.7 : Thei seken to quenche my sparcle whych is lefte, that name dwelle not to myn hosebonde, and relikis..on erthe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.152 : Wiltow that we joynen togidres thilke same resouns, for paraventure of swiche conjunccioun may sterten up som fair sparcle of soth?
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)280/23 : I schewide þee but o sparcle of þe stenche of þat synne.
- ?a1430 ?Hoccl.Poems PS Compl.Virg.(Hnt HM 111)145 : Is there in thee no sparcle of kyndenesse?
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.4040 : Ther sparcle of vengaunce is quiked in partie Be wyndis foure..Blast of detraccioun..flaterie..fals rowneris..bribours.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1174 : The more thei musyd yt, the more scharply yt gan glyde, Thys sperkyl off loue to throwe alle odyr thyng asyde.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)325/5 : Y, ȝowre trewe chapeleyne, vnworthy þe name of þe fader..felynge by experiens by the sparcles of gostly communicacyon, [etc.].
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)31 : And thei wern touched with the lest sparcle of Cristes love, anon..thei wold seeche..bi what wey they myght come to the seruice of god.
c
- c1375 SLeg.Patr.(Eg 1993)409 : Wrecche gostes..he sey Vlen vp and doun, berninge, as sparkles doþ of fure.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.11.34 : Of oon sparcle fijr is echid, & of oon trecherous blood is encresid.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2095 : Forth vp on his wey he glood As sparcle [vrr. sparkele, sparkeles] out of the bronde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7872 : Whan an hous is fired in his hete, Of þe sparkle to late is to trete Þat causid al.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)22/8 : Þis werk..is bot a sodeyn steryng..speedly springing unto God as sparcle fro þe cole.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.48 : Of a lytul sparkull comyth a grete fyre.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)1515 : To fyȝt fast, wyl y nouȝt stent, that feer flye out as sparkyl of flynt.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)426 : Of a litle sparkel a grete fyre Comyth.
- a1500 Octav.(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)152/1466 : Clement..sprang owt, as sperkull on gle[de], Into a feyre fylde.
- c1500(?a1425) Ladder 4 Rungs (Cmb Ff.6.33)109/2 : So myche swettnesse commyth of so litelle a worde, howe mych a fyre kendelyth of so litelle a sparkille as þat is.
2.
(a) A sparkle, flash; (b) a tiny spark-like gleam.
Associated quotations
a
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)26/96 : Crysolite is lyke the water of the see, and she hathe withynne here sparkelis of goolde.
b
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)34.16 (v.1:p.246) : The bright light of the sunne hideth the smale sparcles of the sterris.