Middle English Dictionary Entry
wēdle adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wēdle adj. Also wædle, wædla; pl. wædlen, weaðlen, weðlen, (gen.) wædlena. |
| Etymology | OE wǣdla, (Merc.) wēðla. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Poor, needy;
(b) as noun: poor people, the poor.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.VA (Vsp D.14)13/31 : God…ahefð of mixe þone mann þe he wyle, þeh he wædle wære, & wyrcð hine to ealdre.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.VA (Vsp D.14)14/22 : Ic eam wædle & þearfe, God fylst þu me.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5638 : Þe firrste seollþe iss þatt tu beo…All wrecche & wædle & usell mann, Forr lufe off eche blisse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7889 : Ȝho wass summ wædle wif Þatt lamb ne mihhte winnenn.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)540/10 : Egenus: wædla.
b
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)22/18 : For wædlena ermðen & for heofunga þearefena ic arise of deaðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)215 : He heihte his folc sumunen…wapmen & wifmen, þa weoleȝen & þa weaðlen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)250 : Wide he sende ȝeond þat lond…þat come to hirede, riche men & weðlen [Otho: hene].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2929 : Her scullen þe wædlen [Otho: wel-donde] alle i-wurðen riche.