Middle English Dictionary Entry
trotevāle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | trotevāle n. Also trotivale, trotovale, trutevale, tretefale; pl. tretevales. |
| Etymology | Origin unknown; ?cp. Scot. dial. trottle to chatter (var. of MnE trattle, from MScot.), ME tratelinge ger. (also from MScot.), & ME waltrot n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Vain talk, idle tale-telling; also, a trifle; a piece of foolishness; (b) a deceit, trick, delusion.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.51 : Þre traitours at o tale Togidere weren agein me sworn, Al ʒe maden trotevale [vrr. tretefale, truteuale] Þat i haved seid biforn.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)48 : Yn gamys & festys & at þe ale, Loue men to lestene troteuale [vrr. trotouale, trotyuale] Þat may falle ofte to vylanye, To dedly synne, or oþer folye.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8080 : Þenkeþ on þys tale, And takeþ hyt for no troteuale!
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9244 : So fare men here by þys tale: Some holde hyt but a troteuale; Yn oþer stedys hyt ys ful dere. And for grete merueyle þey wyl hyt here, A tale..aʒens cursyng.
b
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)39/8 : Ac Alle swich Tretevales [Corp-C: truiles; Nero: trufles] of hym ben brouʒth to nouʒth þorouʒ haly water, and wiþ knelynge, and Crouchynge.