Middle English Dictionary Entry
brail n.
Entry Info
| Forms | brail n. Also brayel, bral. |
| Etymology | OF braiel a belt for breeches, girdle; ?belly. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. prīal n.
1.
(a) Naut. One of the ropes fastened to the edge of a sail for haling up its bunt in furling; ~ rop; ~ puli, the pulley through which such a rope runs; (b) the belly or rump of an animal; ~ ende.
Associated quotations
a
- (1417) *For.Acc.(PRO) 8 Hen.V D/1v [OD col.] : j rope pro brailles et pollankerropes.
- (1420) *For.Acc.(PRO) 3 Hen.VI G/2 [OD col.] : 1 corda pro brailropes.
- 1436 *Acc.Exch.K.R.53/5.m.10 [OD col.] : j bralrope.
- 1436 *Acc.Exch.K.R.lf.25b [OD col.] : Trussepulleys..Braylpulleys.
- c1500 Men may leue (Trin-C R.3.19)33 : Y howe! trussa! hale in the brayles..O se how welle owre good shyp sayles!
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)793 : Hys [a bear's] brest and his brayell was blodye all ouer.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)28a : Brode in þe schuldyrs, degowtyd on þe vttyrmost poynt of þe brayle; þan is þat ryth A fayr hawke.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)296 : This hawke is engowted into braell ende.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)301 : Her foundement woll defile her brael.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 229 : A lij. pavies, a iij. brailleropes, a ij. betakles.
- (1420-21) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 228 : In..ij. Cables pond' MDC. lb., j. rop' pro brailles et pollankrop's.
- (1432-7) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 371 : De cord' voc' haunc' de filo albo hol' pro brialropes.
- (1485) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 228 : Mayne shetes ij, Mayne lyfts ij, Mayne perells j, Bryles ij.
Note: New forms: Also..(in cpds.) braille-, brial-; Pl. brailles, briles.
Note: Quots. belongs to sense (a).
- (1409-11) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 229 : A iij. brailropes debil', a ij. vptyes debil', a j. handrope debil'.
Note: Quot. antedates sense (a).
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf a viij/b : An hawke hath long, smale, white federis hangyng vndeer the tayll from hir bowell downe warde, and the same federis ye shall call the brayles or the brayle federis.
Note: New subsense.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense (b).
Note: Gloss: pl. the feathers around a hawk's rump; ~ fetheres.
- (1424-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 229 : iij. Shroudis, iiij. takkis, iij. poleyes pro gyndage, vnam funem voc' brayellrope, iiij. roderis, ix. ancoras, vnam cabulam vsitatam, et ij. jonckis simul connex'.
- (1424-5) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 229 : Idem computat in..vno hauser pro Gyrdyngropes sine ponder', j. cord' pro brailropes sine ponder'.
Note: Additional quots. for sense (a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including Supplement forms): Also braile, bra(i)el, (in cpds.) brail(le-, br(i)al-; pl. brailes, etc. & briles.--notes per MLL