Middle English Dictionary Entry
tēsel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tēsel n. Also tesil, tesle, tasel(le, tasil(le, tasile, tasul, tazel & (in names) tesale, (assimilated to 2nd element) tassel-, thassel-, tosal(e, toshal; pl. teseles, etc. & taslis. |
| Etymology | OE tǣsl, tǣsel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The plant fuller's teasel (Dipsacus sativus), cultivated for use in fulling cloth and for medicinal purposes, thistle;—also coll.; also, a part of this plant used for fulling cloth; ~ (of, for) fulleres, fulleres ~; ~ plaunte, ~ sed; (b) ~ wilde, wilde ~, the common or wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum or Dipsacus silvestris), usu. used medicinally, thistle; (c) = (a) or (b); (d) some kind of prickly plant or shrub; ? = (b); (e) glossing L carbo coal, charcoal (?error for ML cardo); (f) ?in surname and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.175].
Associated quotations
a
- (1326) Let.Bk.Lond.E (Gldh LetBk E)211 : [Writ..that they make proclamation..against the exportation of] taseles [and fuller's earth].
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester9 : Tasel for fullers, j staf, j quart.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.446 : Cloth..is nouȝt comly to were Tyl it is..Wasshen..and with taseles [vrr. taselles, taslis] cracched, Ytouked, and ytented.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)93a/a : Pocions..made of þe rote of cardoun fullonum, i. tasel of fullerez, ybrissed & myxte with hony..As Aueroys..saiþ, carsof (i. cardo, i. tasel, fullonum, i. fullerez [Ch.(2): fullers tasel]) is calidus in 2°.
- (1427) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2436 : Receperunt xij d. pro Teseles venditis.
- (1430) *Acc.Exch.K.R.8 Hen.VI [AALT]E159/206 (img 1105) : Tres barelles cum nigro smigmate, unum barellum cum oleo, III eyghtyndeles anguille, i basket cum taselis, i magnum basket cum pixidibus, unum parvum barellum cum tryacle.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.128 : The tasul [L carduus] now in donged lond is sowe And resolute.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.134 : The tasul seed ynuerse is not to sette, Lest croked, feynt, & hard of hit ascende.
- c1450 St.Eras.(Add 36983)p.202 : These he suffred of þe turmentours..rubbyng his body withe fullers tasels.
- (1459-60) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2556 : Willelmo Galwyne..pro settynge dcc tesyll plontys, iij d..Johanni Strange pro wedynge de le tesyll in tenemento nuper Willelmi Abyndone, iii d.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.502b : It may please unto your seid Highnes..that every Fuller..excercise and use Tazels, and noo Cardes, in disseyvably hurtyng the same Cloth.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)648/28 : The perpetual vicar of wycombe shall haue..all tethe of tesyls that longyn to the office of fullers.
b
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)559/7 : Uirga pastoris: wilde tesel.
- c1300 Add.15236 Gloss.(3) (Add 15236)134/394 : Virga pastoris: anglice, wilde tesle.
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)43 : Virga pastoris, i. carduus agrestis, herba est quæ multum assimulatur carduo fullonum: anglice, wilde tasel.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)159a/a : Þere ben two maner of repercussiue medicynes of þe whiche summe ben sympellye repercussiues as nyȝtschode, sengrene..wilde tasille, psillium, henbane.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)6.143 : Alfresh the mylk is crodded now to chese, With crudde of kyde..Or flour of tasul [L cardui] wilde.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)97/158 : Take..half a pynte of þe jus of þe wilde tesel & too or þre of amydoum, & medle hem al to-gederes in a panne.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)65/15 : Take iii croppys of wyld tasell, stampe hem, and drynke hem in good stale hale.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)118b/a : If þou hast not watir of rose, take þe iuys of Morel, or of endiue, wielde tasil, penywort, purcelane..or ellis sum oþir colde herbe þat is of þe same kynde.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)619/31 : Virga pastoris: wylde tesel.
c
- (1228) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.157 : i clove de tasels, ob.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)645/24 : Carduus: tasylle.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)28a : Growndiswelow is hote and drye, oþer weysse callid swython; þe levis er like to tesyll and a litell yelowe flour.
- ?a1425 Alphita (Sln 284)187 : Tribuli sunt duo genera, s. siccus et humidus..Semini ambobus uirtus est frigida et stiptica et desiccatiua: gallice et anglice, tesle.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)152b/a : Medicynes þat ben simpel in þe first case ben þes: vineger, alle maner of claies..nyȝtschode, water of Rose, water of tasels, and oþer sucche colde herbes.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)570/41,44 : Cardo: a thystell, or a tesell..Carduus: a tesel.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)125a : A Tasyll [Monson: Taselle]: Carduus, finicium vel fenicium.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)711/12 : Sinicium [?read: Finicium]: a tasylle.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.34.13 : Þer shul springen in his housis thornes & nettlis & tasil [L paliurus] in þe strengþis of it.
e
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)474 : Tasyle: Carbo.
f
- (1230) in Ekwall Dict.EPN439 : Tasselegh.
- (1233) in Ekwall Dict.EPN439 : Thasseleg.
- (1242) in Ekwall Dict.EPN439 : Tasseleg.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 7844 : Tasseleye.
- (a1400) EPNSoc.13 (War.)185 : Bosc. de Taselhulle; medwe de Tosall; Tosale.
- (1419-20) Reg.Corp.Chr.Gild in Sur.Soc.57241 : Dom. Will. Tesale.
- (1433) EPNSoc.13 (War.)185 : Toshale.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1400 To God (Wel 406)217 : Alle of þe herbys o Ierlonde Here þow schalt ham knowe..eskbam, camamylle, wildethesil, & stichewort.
Note: Dipsacus fullonum, or silvestris
Note: New spelling: change tesil in form section to t(h)esil--per MLL
Note: May belong to thistel n.?--per ESG
Note: Belongs to sense (b).