Middle English Dictionary Entry
trestel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trestel n. Also trestil(le, trestal, trestul, tressel, tretel, tristel, tristil, trostel, trostil(e; pl. tresteles, etc. & trestelles, -us, trestollis, trestles, tresdelez, tristillis, trisdelez, tristolles, trostellis & trestal & (error) thestyls. |
| Etymology | OF trestel, tretel, trottel, AF tresselle & ML trestellus, tretellus, tristellum, AL tressellum, tristallum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A support, usu. two-legged and employed in pairs, for boards or planks serving as a tabletop, a base, trestle;—also coll.; paire (of) trestel(es; (b) a bracing or supporting structure consisting of uprights and a crossbeam, a frame on which heavy objects, such as the works of a mill, scaffolding, a bell, gun, etc., rest; also, a component of such a structure, ?a beam [quot. ?a1400]; ~ hed, ?the crossbeam of a trestle supporting the joists of a house; (c) pl. supports from which a strainer is suspended; (d) ?a table made of a board or boards on trestles, a trestle table; ~ wise, ?in the manner or style of a trestle table.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1300) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.69131 : Una tabula cum trestlis.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)796 : He..sette trestles and laid þe bord.
- (1368) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.91 : [In the hall..2] chaundelers pendaunz, [one] chaundeler esteant, [3] tristells, [one iron bar standing behind the fire].
- (1395) Will York in Sur.Soc.457 : Tres mensae in despensa, parvae, cum tristiles.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.224 : [4 boards and 4 sets of] tristell.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.152 : Of gold þer is a borde, & tretels þer bi.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)206/3 : Þis Piers of Gauaston..went into þe Kyngus tresorie..and toke þe table of golde, wiþ þe tresteles of þe same.
- (1414) Will York in Sur.Soc.30172 : A bordcloth, a peire towelles, a mete borde, a peyre trestelles that standys in the parlour.
- (1419) *Acc.R.Gt.Totham : i tabul de Elm cum ii trestall.
- (c1422) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12204 : Item, alia tabula cotidiana, iij trostelys pro magna tabula.
- (1428) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)189 : Also for stor..in barowe, hyrdell, scaffald, tymber, pecaxes, schofflez, stollez, trystolles, and one tabule.
- (1431) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)205 : Payed To John Stormorthe For A Gret Table and a payr off Trestollys..viij s. iiij d.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)135/16 : Whan..the Greete Cane is ded, thei settyn hym in his chayer in mydward his graue and settyn vp a bord byforn hym vpon ii trostellis.
- a1450 St.Eras.(Cmb Dd.1.1)84 : On ii stronge tristelis [vr. trestellis] a longe bord did he lay.
- a1450 WBible(2) (Corp-C 147)Ex.26.20 : Foundmentis or trestlis [Roy 1.C.8: In the secounde side of the tabernacle..schulen be twenti tablis, hauynge fourti silueren foundementis].
- (1454) *Invent.Gild Stratford (ShakMuseum 184, 187)184 : Item, a countynge bord wt a peyre trestill.
- (1454) Will York in Sur.Soc.30194 : Lego..j tabulam mensalem densam, j par tristillis.
- (1465) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99244 : Item, iij paria trysdelez.
- (1472) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99246 : Item, iij tabule mensales..iij paria de tresdelez.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.37b : Item, iiii peyre of Trestell.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)389 : In halle make fyre at yche a mele, Borde, trestuls, and formes also, Þe cupborde in his warde schalle go.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)1398 : Sche sett a bourd of yuorere, Trestellus ordeyned þerfor.
b
- (1376-8) in Davenport Nrf.Manorp.lxiii : In splyntes amputandis pro virga molendini et in auxilio pro trostell cariandis ad molendinum.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.229 : A trestille Edward rauht þat heuy was of pais; þe Sarazin so he smote in þe hede with þat treste.
- (1452) Acc.All Sts.Tilney14 : Item..pro quodam ligno..viz quercum pro le trostyll..xxxv s. ij d..Item, pro iijbus novis cordis ad campanas, xxviij d.; Item, pro le waynskott ad rotam campane, x d.
- (1455) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 498 : For makyng the wyndow yn the stepyll and the batylment, iiij s. iiij d., for takeyng a don of the olde loffte and makyng of the trestell..xij d.
- (1477-9) Rec.St.Mary at Hill85 : For a post, a plate, and a trestell hede, to sette vndir the byndyng Ioiste in John Breusters howse, xiiij d.
- (1481) in Salzman Building in Engl.318 : Trestals for scafullyng.
- a1525(?1451) Cov.Leet Bk.260 : ij grete Trestulls to ley the gonnes on when they shul-be shotte.
c
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)473 : Therin put the pouder, and honge the bagge bytwene two tressels, and let hit renne oute qwat hit wil.
d
- (1434) EEWills102/8 : A litil tabel peynted trestelwise.
- (1448) *Will Sud.Ipsw.PR 2f.106b : A clos table in maner of a trestel.
2.
A three-legged stool or seat; a tripod, trivet.
Associated quotations
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)67a/b : Tripos: a trestel or a brandyren.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)492 : Thre fotyd, as stolys, or trestyllys [Win: thestyls] or trevetys or other lyke: Tripos.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)503 : Trostyle..tripos.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)130b : A Trystyll: tripos.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)89/322a : Tripos: trestyll.
3.
?A construction consisting of a crossbeam or beams attached to the trunk of a tree to provide a concealed seat for a hunter [cp. MnE trestletree].
Associated quotations
- a1500 RHood & M.(Cmb Ff.5.48)st.37 : Loke þat ʒe kepe wel owre tristil tre Vnder þe levys smale, And spare non of this venyson Þat gose in thys vale.
- c1500(?c1450) Wedding Gawain (Rwl C.86)19 : The kyng was sett att hys trestylle-tree, Withe hys bowe to sle the wylde venere.