Middle English Dictionary Entry
volā̆tī̆l(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | volā̆tī̆l(e n. Also volatille, volatili(e; pl. volatil(e)s, etc. & folatiles. |
| Etymology | OF volatille, volatil(e, volatilie & L volātile, pl. volātilia. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A bird, esp. a wild bird;—also coll.;
(b) a bird raised or prepared for consumption; coll. & pl. poultry; game birds, wild fowl used for food;
(c) any winged or flying creature, including both birds and insects;—also coll.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.1.26 : Make we man to…oure lycknes, & before be he to þe fisches of þe see & to þe volatylys of heuen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.2.20 : Adam clepide…alle volatyly [L volatilia] of heuen & all beestez of þe erþ by here names.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)270/34 : Somme bestis vsen þe fote in þe stede of þe honde, as…þe pellican among volatiles.
- c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Yk-M 14.D.2:Hudson)92/15 : Biholde ȝe þe volatils of heuene, hou þei sowen not neiþer repen, and ȝoure fadir of heuene fediþ þoo.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.17.23 : Alle briddis shulen dwelle vndir it; al volatile [L volatile] shal make nestis vndir the shadewe of his bouwis.
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)76/11 : Be he [man] souereyn to þe fischis of þe see and to þe volatils of heuene.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)509 : Volatyle, bryddys or fowlis: volatile.
b
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)48.27/2 : Test de Turt: Foille de pastee bon sarrays, & iplaunched þrin conynges & volatils.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)77.31 : He rained vp hem pudre, flesshes, and volatils feþered as grauel of þe se…And hij eten and ben fild greteliche.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.5.18 : Þer was greiþed to me…an oxe, sixe chosen weþeres, out taken volatilis, &…dyuerse wynes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1262 : With hym broghte he a iubbe of Maluesye…And volatil [vr. volatilye]…And thus I lete hem ete and drynke.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6386 : Volatil [Göt: volatile] sent þaim þat king.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.49 : Y have made redy my mete; my boles and my volatils ben kild.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)105 : It is ordeyned…that no pulteres of the toun selle ne shewe to sellyn…ony maner of volatil, gret or litel, that be corrupt.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4253 : Plente þer was of bred and wyn…Off larkes and smale volatyle.
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)109 : Volatyle and venyson…J-now they had to ete.
c
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)624/9 : The gnatte…is acountid among volatiles [L volatilia] as þe bee is.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1142/2 : The bee…mighte be acounted among volatils, ȝit…he may…be acounted amonge bestes þat goþ on grounde.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1205/4 : Emptes…hauen wynges…and tornen into…volatile.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)prol.15.31 : Alle volatyles [vr. folatyles] þat wenten on foure fet weren vnclene & forboden.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)75/13 : Kynde of bestis ben 5…man, volatile [Lambeth: volatille], and aquatik, crepyng, and fourefoted.