Middle English Dictionary Entry
Yọ̄l n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Yọ̄l n. Also yole, youle, yhol(e, ȝol(e, ȝoul(e, (N & NEM) yoil, (N) yiol, (SWM) ȝeolue, (late) yolde & (in surname) yoel; gen. ȝoles, ȝoulus. |
| Etymology | OE Gēol, Iōl, Iūl & Gēola, Iūla; also cp. ON: cp. OI jōl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The Christmas season generally, Yuletide or Christmastime; specif. the festival season from Christmas Eve to Epiphany, Christmastide; on (o) the ~ manere, in the manner in which something is done for Yuletide; ~ stok, a customary payment made during Christmastide; ~ waitinge, the service of guarding or protecting a residence during the Christmas season; also, payment for such service; ~ waites stonde, the station occupied by a guard or watchman during the Christmas season; twenti dai of ~, the twentieth day from the beginning of Yuletide, i.e., the feast of Saint Hilary, January 13 (formerly the 14th);
(b) Christmas Day, December 25; also, the annual feast in the Christian church celebrating the birth of Jesus held on Christmas Day; ~ dai, q.v.; ȝoles dai, dai of ~; feste of ~; ~ even (night), ȝoles night, the evening or night preceding Christmas, Christmas Eve; also, used adverbially: on Christmas Eve [quot. a1500(c1450)];
(c) as part of a burden in a song or carol; also, in an asseveration.
Associated quotations
a
- (1282) Inquis.Yks.in YASRS 12 [OD col.]244 : [The same pays 12 d. at Christmas, which is called] ȝolstock.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)53.45/9 : A mete þat is icleped cuskynoles: Make a past stempred wiþ ayren…applen, figes & reysins…in leynten make þi past wiþ milke of alemaundes & rolle þi past on a bord…& soþþen do þi fassure wiþinnen; Vchan [Jul: whan þe] kake is portiooun, & soþþen veld togedere oþe ȝeolue [Jul: on þe ȝol] manere, ase þeos fugurre is imad, [etc.].
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)601 : Þis is þe ferste dai of ȝoul, Þe god was boren wiþ outen doul.
- c1381(1183) Boldon Bk.(PRO SC 12/21/28)20 : Duo cotmanni…dant cum villanis partem suam de scat et de metride et de yolwayting.
- c1381(1183) Boldon Bk.(PRO SC 12/21/28)21 : Sexdecim prædicti villani reddunt 16 s. de michelmet et 6 s. de yolwayting.
- (a1382) Doc.Hatfield in Sur.Soc.3222 : Yholwayting: Iidem tenentes red. p.a. pro yolwayting ad festum Nativitatis Domini, 5 s.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.47 : Edrik in tille Danmark to Knoute sent spies, For to com tille Inglond sone suld he assay Aryued þat he ware of ȝole þe tuelft day.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)500 : Þis ȝol ouer-ȝede, & þe ȝere after…After crysten-masse com þe crabbed lentoun.
- (1413-14) Doc.in Boldon Bk.p.lxxii : De quadam placea vocata Yolewaytestand.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)20627 : Kyng arthur within þe daies of yiol In his herte had gret sorow and dol.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)683 : Come i to the…I sall caste þe in þe pole For all þe heghe days of ȝole Als ane olde sakke.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10370 : Vntil ȝork Arthur gan turne; Þere al þe ȝol he made soiourne.
- a1450(1419) Loke how Flaundres (Dgb 102)103 : Þat freek may wel be holden a fool…And lyue in Lenton as in ȝool His flesch in foly to fulfille.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)485 : vij yere he leuyd there, Tyll hyt befell agenste the youle, Vpon the fyrste day, The hounde…Ranne to the kyngys palays.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)1895 : Of Seynt Hyllary þe churche ys, The twenty day of ȝowle Y wys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)239/344 : We shall teche hym, I wote, a new play of yoyll And hold hym full hote.
- c1613(1463) Plumpton Let.8 : Ye shall confirme all that first was named…or his brother Edward goe to London att twentie day of yoole.
b
- 1372 Als i lay vp-on (Adv 18.7.21)147 : I lay þis ȝolis-day Alone in my longingge.
- (1397) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10) ()8.18 : Yai sal sende yair Billes indented of yair Playntes to the Castel of Roxburgh, and delivir yaim to the Lieutenant…befor Yhole nest commande.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.101 : This stern…tille thir kinges lau it stey On feld thar thai woc on yol niht.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)10/15 : Þai fast noȝt þe Seterday na tyme of þe ȝere, bot it be ȝole euen or pask euen.
- (1436) Deed Norris in LCRS 9394 : [Ellen…shally pay yearly…10 s. in two equal portions] at Missomer and at Yole.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)781 : Appone ȝole [vr. ȝowlus]-nyghte…I aske noghte bot ȝone knyghte To slepe be my syde.
- (1443) Deed Yks.in YASRS 76149 : Thomas his ayres…yelding yerly to the said William and to his ayres at the fest of Yoill a paier of qwit gloves.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1732 : Whar þai walde be, þai come sone When þe day of ȝole was done.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.S.217 : The prest…seyd to þem…To honor hym…þat was born off a virgyn þat ȝole nyȝt.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)63 : All high festes, as Pasch and Pentecoste and yole and halowmesse, sholde be holden at Cardoel.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)129 : Well knewe thei…how the swerde and the ston that apered on the feeste of yoole be-fore the mynster.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)43/33 : Seynte thomas-is day the apostyl is the v day afor yolde So is this Thomas-is day the v day aftyr.
- a1500 ?Rolle De Passione (Tit C.19)43 : Thinke than of the grete louyng that holy chirche made at his birthe, that is at ȝoole, Sithen of new ȝere day…Sithen of twelftday…Also on candelmesday, [etc.].
c
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)116 : So ich euer mote biden ȝol, Þou art ounwis.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)234 : They rekene his richesse…Ete and drynke, synge ‘hay ȝol hayl’.
2.
The month of December [last quot. may belong to sense 1.(a)]; ȝoles month.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1910 : Crist wass borenn i þiss lif Wiþþinnenn Ȝoless moneþþ.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1915 : O þe fiffte daȝȝ Att twenntiȝ daȝhess ende Off ȝol…ure Laferrd Crist Wass borenn her to manne.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)814-15 : Þe halydays þat yn heruyst are, In ȝole he [God] may sette hem þare, And of þe ȝole euery feste May he sette yn herueste.
3.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1199) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.10147 : Willelmus Yol.
- -?-(1243) Red Bk.Exch.in RS 991078 : Thomas Yoel.
- (1260) Assize R.Yks.in YASRS 4489 : Will Yoll.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2134 : Willelmo Yole.
- (1379) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames396 : Robert Youle.