Middle English Dictionary Entry
wrestling(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | wrestling(e ger. Also wrastoling, wristling(e, wristilling, wristuling, wirstilling & (early) wrestlunge, wraslinge, wrastlunge, (SWM) wreastlunge. |
| Etymology | From wrestlen v. & OE wrǣstlung. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Grappling, tussling; ?also, twisting about;
(b) specif. the sport of wrestling; the action of wrestling; also, a wrestling contest or match;
(c) in combs.: ~ coler, a piece of cloth worn over a wrestler’s shoulder and tied under the other arm for his opponent to grasp; ~ place, a place for wrestling, a gymnasium.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8873 : What wiþ wristling, wat wiþ togging, What wiþ smiteing and wiþ skirminge, On boþe half so þai wrouȝten, Her kinges on hors þai brouȝten.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)411/13 : Þis skynne is idelid…somtyme by an outwarde cause, as by to grete trauaile of body, as by grete strogelinge and wrastlynge, somtyme by an smitinge, [etc.].
- (a1400) *Barton's Urines (Sln 280)f.283v : Þe mannys sede .. vmbeclosiþ h[ires] & beriþ hit into þe riȝt halle of þe modi[r] ... Whan þe sede is in his chaumbur, þan six dayes aftur þat .. wrastullyng þai restiþ hem & cruddiþ togedur as hit were mylk.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)356/5411 : Evyn distemperure of humors…fallys sumtym throgh rynnynge or skyppynge, lyftynge, wrystlynge, mystravellynge.
- a1486(1442) Accept.Boyle in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)38 : The fourthe artickle is þt iche of us may helpe othir wt wrastelynge wt leggis and feet wt armys and handis.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)61/31 : Scho huld so fast bytwyx hom two, þe serge brake yn þe myddys…And so yn wrastelyng, scho woke of hyr slepe.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)163/20 : Ich…Eede o Ring i chirchȝard, biheold hit oþer wreastlunge & oðre fol gomenes.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)795 : Ȝif tueie men goþ to wraslinge, An eiþer oþer faste þringe, [etc.].
- a1300(?a1250) Serm.Atte wrastlinge (Trin-C B.1.45)106 : Atte wrastlinge mi lemman i ches, and atte ston kasting i him for-les.
- (1309) Coroner R.in Seld.Soc.9 ()62 : [There was a game called] le wrastleng [at Isham].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)517 : Corineus & he to gadere were ibroȝt, Þe wrastlinge [vr. wrastolyng] bitvene hom was somdel toȝt.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.4.14 : Thei hastiden for to be maad felawis of wrastlyng.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.548 : At wrastlynge he wolde haue alwey the ram.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)483/18 : Mercurius…is iclepid god of wrastlinge.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)992 : Ȝyf þou euer settyst swerde eyþer ryng For to gadyr a wrastlyng, Þe halyday þou holdest noght.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8987 : Karolles, wrastlynges, or somour games, who-so euer haunteþ any swyche shames…yn chercheȝerd, Of sacrylage he may be a-ferd.
- a1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Paris n.a. lat.699)38 : At ye wrastlinge [vr. wristulyng] win the rom.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)183 : Her byside…is cryed a wrastlyng, And þerfor schal be set vp a ram and a ryng.
- (1432-3) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)226 : Payd for diuerz Spicerye to performe sertayn Gamys for þe wrastelyng by Gonne by þe crafte, Summa xxxviij s. iiij d.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)885 : For schotyng, for wyrstyllyng or oþer play…þas mekyll agayne þe saule are.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2260 : Þe tulke…Sall thre times haue þe thra…Of were ore of wristilling [Dub: wristylyng].
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.763 : In that same place were a-sayde iche oon, As weel in wrestlyng as puttyng at the stoon.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)78/21 : In wrastlyng, whan a chaumpyoun may lyften an oþerys foot, þanne he throwyth hym doun.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)89 : That yere was John Northewode slayne on the Blacke hethe at a wrastelynge, wherefore there rosse moche dyssencyon a mong certayne craftys of the citte.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)158 : Mony men of holy chirche…goþe to…vnprofitable siȝtis, as tavernys, wrestelynges, huntynges, and swich vanyteys of þe worlde.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)138/297 : Though wee bine werye, noe wonder, what betweene wrastlinge and wakinge!
c
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)533 : Wrestelynge place: Palestra, palisma.
- (1467-8) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.524 : For two wrastlyng colers 10 d.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)5/14a : Palestra: wrastlyngplace.
2.
(a) A nonphysical conflict or struggle; spiritual struggling, a spiritual struggle;
(b) ~ for this world, striving for the sake of worldly benefits.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)122/8 : I wreastlunge [Cleo: wrestlunge; Nero: wrastlunge] of temptatiun ariseð þe biȝete.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)190/14 : Þe oðer bitternesse is i wreastlunge & i wragelunge aȝeines fondunges.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)180/22 : Huan þe man him uorþingþ of his zenne, þane com þer a newe wrestlinge to his oȝene herte.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Eph.6.12 : Ȝoure wrastlynge ne is noȝt a-ȝeyn flesch & blood, bote aȝeyn princes & potestates, a-ȝeyn þe gouernoures of þe worlde of þis darknesse, a-ȝeyn þe spyrytual armer of wykkednesse in hefnelyche þinges.
b
- ?a1425(c1390) Chaucer Truth (Benson-Robinson)16 : That thee is sent, receyve in buxumnesse; The wrastling for this world axeth a fal.