Middle English Dictionary Entry
spindel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | spindel n. Also spindel(l)e, -dil(le, -dile, -dul(le, -dule, -dle, spinel, spendel & (in place names) spine-, spile- & (error) spynde; pl. spindels, etc. & spindel, -dil. |
| Etymology | OE spinel, spinil, spinl(e; cp. OFris., MLG spindel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A spindle for spinning thread; nokke of a ~, a notch cut in a spindle to hold the yarn in place; slippen ~, to take yarn off a spindle; (b) the amount of yarn collected on a spindle; (c) translating OF fuisel: ?a piece of wood shaped like a spindle, rod.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)547/32 : Colus: distæf; Fusus: spindle.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)435 : De treys choses seert le fusil [glossed:] spinel [vr. spindel]: Le fil est fileæ du fusil.
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)105/1063 : Mid spinninge and sewinge..mid spindle and mid nelde, his moder hi[m] bi wan.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.31.19 : Hir hond she putte to stronge thingis & hir fyngres caȝten þe spyndle.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)36 : Whanne your þred ys I sponne And ȝour spindelle ys y foold..To þe Reel ȝow by houyþ to go.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)357 : Nokke of a bowe, or a spyndylle, or other lyke: Tenorculus.
- c1450 All this day (Cai 383/603)p.306 : Rybbe ne rele ne spynne yc ne may For joyghe that it is holyday..Spyndul ne werne ne wond Y nought.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)74/188 : Take a pype of pewtre as grete as a spyndell end and do þat on end of that pype in a bleddir full of oyle.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)118b : To wynde Spyndyls: Infusare, effusare.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)34/364 : If ye like, ye may spyn..in the ship..this spyndill will I slip Apon this hill.
- a1500 Gloss Dict.Garland (Hrl 1002)123 : Acus et acuaria..fusillos [glossed:] spyndels.
b
- a1525(?1452) Cov.Leet Bk.271 : Hit was..ordeyned..that such spynner to bring her werk to þe shirrifs..then the seid shirrifs to sesse & take the spyndels to ther owne behofe.
c
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)28.453,455,456 : Bothe Spindelis, As long they were As lengthe & brede of þe bed..And to the hed Of the two spyndelis..Anoþer spyndele [F fuisel] was Ioyned.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)990/18 : Abovyn the bed there hynge..spyndelys [F Vulg.: fuissiaus], whych were whyght as snowe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)993/10 : Carve me oute of thys tre as much woode as woll make me a spyndill.
2.
(a) The axle of a revolving tool; the axle of a potter's wheel; the verge or other axle in a clock; also, a rod carrying a weather vane; (b) the drive shaft of a mill; also, a mill spindle; ~ hopes, hoops attaching the spindle to the millrind; ganges of spindels, a set of spindles, joined by cogwheels; milne ~, a mill spindle.
Associated quotations
a
- (1398) Will York in Sur.Soc.4250 : Ego, Johannes..Potter..lego..de aliis instrumentis..partem pertinentem ad artem meam..ij files, et porcionem de spindels.
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4267 : Unum clok cum magnis spyndelis et rotis fereis.
- (1428) Proc.Privy C.3.289 : Pro reparatione..orelegii..Item, for amendyng of the note and the spyndill, vij s.
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)206 : Payed To a latoner For our Vane, x s..Also payed To þe Smythe For..þe staye barres and þe barre wt þe long spyndell þt beryth þe same abowte..xv li. v s.
- (1452-4) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)338 : Paye for..j spyndel of yorne for the fane..xij s. ij d.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31249 : Paied..to Barnard the Smyth..for makyng of the Spendel for the fane, x d.
b
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)438 : Le ble est molu par le fusil [glossed:] mulne spindel [vr. mille spindele].
- (1345-6) Sacrist R.Ely 2133 : In j pari de Spyndel et cogg. pro molendino equino..2 s.
- (1378-9) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103588 : In repar. stangni molendini..1 ring, et 1 spindell de ferro ibidem, 3 s. 6 d.
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.39 : [They carried off a millstone..a] spyndele [and an iron] ryne..[from a watermill].
- (1399) Acc.R.Lane in Archaeol.58351 : [One] ryne, [one] spyndele..[5/10].
- (1453-4) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99191 : In reparacionibus factis circa molendinum ventriticum de Hemyngburgh..in ijbus ganges de spyndellez et cogges..2 s. 8 d..et in iiijor petris ferri emp. pro renovacione de le spyndellez et rynd..8 s. 6 d.
- (1463-4) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99153 : Pro emendacione molendini de Shynneclyff subtus lez spyndill, 20 d.
- (1466-7) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.cccii : Pro j spyndyll hwppys ac aliis necessariis dicto molendino pertinentibus, iiij s. viij d.
- (c1470) Paston (EETS)1.436 : Item, ij spyndyls of jron for the hors mille. Item, ij ryngis for the same. Item, ij trendils for the same.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)627 : Fusus: spyndulle.
3.
A rod-shaped tool: a steel used to strike sparks; a lever; a screw used in a press; ?a drill [quot. c1350]; ~ thong, ?the strap of a bow drill.
Associated quotations
- (1313) in Salzman Building in Engl.234 : [Simon de Norton, tiler, was paid 1 d.] for a hide bought whereof to make a spyndelthoung for boring slates.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)525 : Lyme sie et fusil: File, sawe, and spindelle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)43a/b : Þese hooles ben wralled & I-wounde as a spindil of a presse.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)36 : After flynt smyteþ þe spindelle.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12a/b : Carinca [read: Tarinca]: a spynde [Cnt: spyndell] of iren or a tynd.
4.
In cpd.: ~ makere [prob. belongs to sense 1., but may belong to 2. or 3.].
Associated quotations
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)29b/b : Fusarius: a spyndel maker.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)118b : A Spyndilmaker: fusarius.
5.
Her. A diamond-shaped charge on a coat of arms.
Associated quotations
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)her.leaf f ii/b : Off armys fusyllit, in english, spyndyllis, now I will speke..Losyngis..ar larger ouerwartt in the baly and shorter in length then be fusylles.
6.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2. 138].
Associated quotations
- (1165) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.186 : Spilestan.
- (1176) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.186 : Spinestan.
- (1227) Close R.Tower 2168 : Walterus Spindlewrick.
- (1255) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.186 : Spinelstan.
- (1269) Rec.Norwich 1215 : Quidam homo nomine Adam Spindelschanke..abiurauit regnum.
- (1341) Name in LuSE 3567 : Spindill.
- (1398) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)265 : Spyndelrudene.
- (1428) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.186 : Spyndelestane.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. spindle.