Middle English Dictionary Entry
wēsel(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wēsel(e n. Also wesil(e, wesille, wesul, wezele, weisil, wasel, wassele, whesil(le, vesil, (gen.) wisillis; pl. wesel(e)s, weselles. |
| Etymology | OE wesle, (Merc.) uuesulae. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A small carnivore of the genus Mustela, a weasel; also glossing AF fwyne marten [quot. a1450]; also in fig. context [quot. a1500(c1340)]; feld ~;
(b) pl. cook. a dish consisting of ground pork and other ingredients stuffed into a capon’s neck or pig’s stomach and roasted;
(c) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)807 : Beleth [glossed:] wassele.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)704 : Welet, leuere, et hereson: Wesel, hare, and irchoune.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.11.29 : Þees forsoþe among pollute þynges sholen be holde…a wesele & amous & a cokedrille.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3234 : Fair was this yonge wyf and therwithal As any wesele [vr. wezele] hir body gent and smal.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)639/19-20 : Þe sparewe dreediþ þe wesele and hatiþ hire and crieþ and warneþ ȝif þe wesile comeþ.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1227/16,20-21 : The wesil hatte mustela and is so ycleped as it were a long mows…Þe wesel purseweþ and chaceþ serpentz and hateþ and eteþ mys; And of weseles is double maner kynde: oon duelleþ in woodes and is more þan oþere…þe oþer goþ al aboute in hous.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1228/2,13 : Plinius…seiþ þat þe wesil is of double kynde, tame and wilde…þe wesil…haþ a reed bakke and a white wombe and chaungeþ colour, for in some countrees somtyme of þe ȝeere al his felle is white, outake the tayl; His bytyng is malicious and venemous.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)43a/b : Mustela: a wesyl [Cnt: whesyll].
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)639/9 : Mustela: weysyl.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)375/5874 : Þe 2 spice of þat jaundys þat we call þe grene jaundys, Grekys callys it pega sileon, id est mustela agrestys (a feld wasyll or a wyld wasyll or ellys a feld mous); Mustela is a wasell.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)46a : The levis dronkyn helith wysillis bytt.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)523 : Weesylle, lytylle beeste: Mustela.
- a1450 Simpson Nominale (Simpson)92/235 : Un fouvyn: a wesull’; un mustole: a wytrath.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)224/709 : Powdre for cankre and festre ryght gode: Take a tode and an eddire and a wesell…and brenne hem in a pot þat is new alto powdre.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.335 : Irlonde…habundethe in salmones…in egles, cranes…and gentille gossehawke; hauenge wulphes and moste nyous myse, and weselles [L mustelas] lytelle in body, but bolde in herte.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)90.13 : The basilyske…is kald kynge of serpents…bot…the wesill ouercumys him and slas him…the vesyll…is the rightwisman.
- a1500 Herkyn to my tale (Adv 19.3.1)p.81 : Tho samond sang tho hee mas, tho heyryng was hys clarke…Ther were wesels and waspes offeryng carte-saduls.
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Gloss.(Hrl 1002)624 : Mustela: whesille.
- a1500 Þer wer iij (BodPoet e.1)p.239 : Ther wer 3 angry; 3 angry ther wer: A wasp, a wesyll, and a woman.
b
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.52 : For wesels: Fyrst grynde porke; temper…With egges and powder of peper…In chapon necke þou close hit þo, Or elles in paunche of grys hit pyt, And rost hit wele, and þen dore hit With oute with batere of egges and floure.
c
- (1206) Assize R.Lin.in Lin.RS 221465 : Matillis Wesel’.