Middle English Dictionary Entry
bẹ̄tel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bẹ̄tel n. Also bitille & belte. bilte. Pl. bẹ̄t(e)les. |
| Etymology | Cp. WS bȳtel, A *bētel. Cp. var. belte with var. nēlde of nēdle needle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A mallet, maul, hammer; also, a bat or club; blind as a ~, completely blind, stone-blind.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)50a : Þer ȝe schule seon bunkin him wið þes deofles betles [Nero: bettles].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)539 : Pyncel, malet, et sarcu; Brake, betulle, and grane.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)84/1307 : Austin is beetel strongest to felle, Heretykes resouns forte quelle.
- c1400 *PPl.C (Trin-C R.3.14)[18.38] f.47a : He was blynd as a betil.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)51a/b : Porticulus: a lytel hond staffe or betul.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)34 : Betylle: Malleus, malleolus.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)323 : Malyet, betyl: Malleolus, marculus.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3632 : Bot as bleynde as a betulle þet weron euermore.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)96b : Loke hit be wel beten & rammed wiþ beteles & tredyng of manis feet.
- (1452-3) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12218 : Item ij beltys et iiij weggis de ferro.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)13a : A Betyll: porticulus, occa, feritorium.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)628 : Mallus: bytylle.
- c1500 The shype ax (Ashm 61)9 : Wherefore, seyd the belte, With grete strokes I schalle hym pelte.
2.
(a) A mallet carried on the plow for breaking large clods, plowmell; (b) washing ~, a bat or staff for beating clothes; (c) a mace; ?a battle-ax; (d) ?a kind of ax.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Trin-C O.2.21)921 : [La carue ad un maillet]: betel.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)860 : Iugo et arsoun: Ȝok and oxebowe. Mallet et mundiloun: Betul and akirstaf.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)27 : Batyldoure, or wasshynge betylle: Feretorium.
c
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)329 : He threw down his launce and yaf hym soche a stroke with the brasen betell.
d
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220:Owen)687 : [Pernez un coing]: the belte [vrr. ax, bolax].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1371-2) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)2.144 : [To William Averey his apprentice, he leaves..a] Bylte, [a] chipax, [a] Twyble, [an] augour, [a] squire, [and a] sawe.
Note: New spelling. Sense 1.