Middle English Dictionary Entry
takel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | takel n. Also takil, takul(le, takle, tacle & (in surname) tackele; pl. takeles, etc. & takelles, takolles. |
| Etymology | MLG takel, takele & MDu.takel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Naut. The rigging of a ship; also, a line used in the rigging of a ship; lof ~, a spar holding out and down the windward tack of a square sail while going into the wind; (b) a fishing line or net with its related gear;—also coll.; takinge ~, fig. the snare (of the devil).
Associated quotations
a
- (1294-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 265 : xl s. iij d. in j Mast, j velo Loftakel, j Ancora, et ij Hauzours empt. ad Barg' de Waltero de Seleby.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.470 : Here takel redy tho thei maden, And hale up Seil and forth thei fare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24944 : Þai bigan þair takel [Frf: tacle] dight; þair wind to will god fare þai fand, Til þai com in til jngland.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)233 : Þaȝ her takel were torne þat totered on yþes, Styffe stremes..hem strayned a whyle.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3618 : The toppe-castells he stuffede with toyelys..Tolowris tentyly takell they ryghtten.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12081 : Mariners dighte þem to note, Þer takel for to righte & taille.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2054 : A grete tempest..brake theyr maste..And theyr takell [vr. cabilles], lesse and more.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1402 : Shipp and takyll they dight.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)830 : Shypmen..Dyght her takulle on ryche a-cyse.
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)273 : A man must hys takyll mesure Aftyr that the vessell may endure.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12512 : The sea..cut down þere sailes, Ropis alto rochit..Topcastell ouerturnyt, takelles were lost.
b
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)145/14 : For synne i[s] cald þe deueles schakel, His net, his tool, his takyng takel.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)138a/a : Fisscheris heldiþ hot water on here instrumentis and takeles, þat þey beo þe raþer I-frore for to synke þe sonner.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)160b/a : Fysshe hunters setten here nettes..fysshe smelleþ and hereþ, and þerfore he cometh ofter into newe tacle [L vasa] þat is y-sette for hem þan into olde.
2.
(a) Archery equipment; equipment used in operating a mangonel; an arrow; also fig.; a bolt shot by a catapult or similar device;—also coll.; (b) weaponry, arms, weapons; battle gear.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.106 : A yeman hadde he..Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly; His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.214 : [A] spryngall [with 5] takeles [without heads, worth 2 s. in all].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3600 : Esau..Ga lok þi tacle [Trin-C: takul] be puruaid, And faand to stalk þe sa nere þat þou mai drep me sum dere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1729 : He toke an arowe..And shette att me..thorough me nye vnto myn hert The takel [F La sajete] smote, and depe it wente.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5444 : Eche man made redi his takel, Bende her bowes and set her flone.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)173/1 : Þei þat ben byseged defendiþ hemselue, wiþ springolus..arblastes ibend wiþ vise, þe whiche þe lenger armus he haþ, þe gretter takel, and þe forther he scheteþ.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1400 : It was Rychardys o mangenel, And al þe takyl þat þerto ffel.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4377 : Of oure ffolk þey slowen monye; Enuenymyd here takyl [vr. takills] was.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1758 : Part of the victory is for to chese The herre grounde, and ay the herre it be, The more myght thou hast thi foo to ceese, And more sharp dounward the taclys fle.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57359 : Item, the same day my mastyr paid to Willyam, fflecher of Caleys, for xxx takolles, vij s. vj d.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)785 : I haue fowll arayde my fote; Be wyse for schotynge wyth yowr takyllys, for Gode wott My fote ys fowly ouerschett.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.246 : God hat bent his bowe..& he hat adyȝt þerynne takyl of deth, & hat mad his arwys hote with brennynge þingis.
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2444 : Thay wyn no wirchipe of me, bot wastys theire takle!
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3679 : Than brothely they bekyre with boustouse tacle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6186 : Bowmen of the best, þo buernes were all, Well enfourmet of þe fete, & hade fyne takell.
3.
Gear, equipment; a piece of gear, a tool or an implement; also, euph. the sexual organ [quot. a1425].
Associated quotations
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)883 : Tol and takel and orf he dede, Wenden hom to here ogen stede.
- c1390 Heil be þow Marie Moodur (Vrn)32 : Heil Inocent..Vr takel, vr tol þat we on trowe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1129 : Þay busken vp bilyue blonkkez to sadel, Tyffen he[r] takles, trussen her males.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)102/1432-4 : His chaumburleyn is a womman, And goþ in cloþyng as a man..Þeo false quene..Bysouȝte hire to beon hire lemman derne..Nede heo moste þat game forsake, For heo no hadde takil forþ to take Forto make hire no counfort, For hire takil was to schort.
- (1463-4) Acc.Howard in RC 57248 : Item, the xiiij day of Marche, payd ffor my masterys takelys, ij d.
4.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1179) in Pipe R.Soc.2850 : Ganfridus Takel.
- (1195) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.6157 : Samson Takel.
- (1212) Bk.of Fees192 : Samson Takel.
- (1378) Acc.in Lambert Hist.Banstead358 : Hugo Takel.
- (1406) Cart.Oseney in OHS 91203 : Mansura decima per Thomam Tackele.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)137b : A weynge: libramen, librare, libramentum, librarium, Appensio, pensio; Tachell.
Note: New sense
Note: No note in Cath. Angl.
Note: See weiinge ger. where this quot. is in sense 2.(a): "..also, ?a piece of gear for hoisting [glossing takel n."
Note: Latin: libramen (n.)= poise, balance; librare= to balance; swing; hurl; libramentum (n.)= weight, counterpoise; librarium (n.)= bookseller; library (piece of furniture); bookcase, library,(as adj.)= of books; appensio (and pensio) (n.)= payment; installment; pension; paying out; rent; measured weight; recompense
Note: "Librarium" is apparently included as a variant of 'librarius (2)', 'that which weighs a pound,' but is not otherwise attested in that sense, at least not in DMLBS.