Middle English Dictionary Entry
wal n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | wal n.(2) Also wel, (early) wale, wæl(e. |
| Etymology | OE wæl, pl. walu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A corpse, dead body;
(b) coll. those who have fallen in battle or have been massacred, the slain; ?also, the scene of a bloody battle [1st quot.];
(c) slaughter, destruction, bloodshed; islen (ofslen) muchel ~, to bring about carnage, kill a huge number;
(d) in cpds. and combs.: ~ kempe, a fierce fighter, mighty warrior; ~ kirie, q.v.; ~ slaughte [OE wæl-sliht], bloody fighting, slaughter; ~ spere [OE wæl-spere], a deadly spear, a spear of slaughter.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)144 : Iosep of Arimathie…louid Iesus wel ariȝt And þoȝt is wel to honuri.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)119/31 : Þa þa his broþer slege ofaxede, þa ferde he to þan wæle his lic secende.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3204 : Morpidus…seouen hundred of-sloh…He lette makien ane dich þe wes long and swiðe deop, and he lette al þat wel weorpen þer an innen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4735 : Ic heo wulle bi-winnen oðer an wæle liggen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5402 : Al þæt wal heo brohten in-to þan broke.
c
- ?1130 Chron.Tbr.B.4 (Tbr B.4)p.214 : Her werþ Anagus of sleien fram Scotta eere, & þer werþ micel weell of sleigen mid him.
- ?a1150 Chron.Tbr.B.1 (Tbr B.1)an.1066 : Þa com Harold…& hys furde…& þere michel wel ge slogon, ge Norweis ge Flæming.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)408 : Iherden hit Troynisce & tuhten to þon Gricken; heo heom aweihten mid heora wæles igrure.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2051 : He scrað to þisse londe, Rudauc mid his Welscen—þat wæl wes þe more!
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13837 : Þa eorðe gunnen to buuien, stanes þer bursten, urnen stremes of blode of ærmen þan folke; þat wel wes unimete.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)204 : Þar aros wale [Clg: walc] and wind [Clg: win].
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)284 : Antigonus mid his weapnen & mid his wæl-kempen [Otho: gode cniþtes] iwenden toward Brutun, to his bale-siðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)686 : He mid þan folke fleh ut of Troye; þa Grickes hit bi-wnnan mid heora wæl-slahte [Otho: bitere slahtes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11882 : Fifti hundred þeo Wælwain ladde Þe wæs a wæl-kempe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14260 : Þer weoren of-slaȝe…þa Bruttes alle of Arðures borde…And Arður forwunded mid wal-spere [Otho: one spere] brade.