Middle English Dictionary Entry
afellen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | afellen v. Also avellen, aveallen; WM afallen, avallen; SW afullen. Forms: p. afelde, avelde, avalde, afulde; ppl. afelled, avellet, afeld, afalled, avalled, afulled. |
| Etymology | OE āfellan (late), A āfællan, WS āfyllan. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. fellen.
1.
(a) To lay (sb.) low, fell, kill; (b) to throw down or destroy (a building); cut down or fell (a tree).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4175 : Monie heo afelden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20105 : Crist heom aualle [Otho: acwelle]!
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27811 : Godd seolf us fulste, ure feond to afallene.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)12474 : Ich habbe ȝoure fon afulled to þan grunde.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)20109 : His cun in þisse londe oure eldre afulde [Clg: aqualden].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3335 : Many was þe Sarazyn prout þat þar-with was affulled.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2069 : Alle þa burhȝes þe Brutus iwrohte & heora noma gode..beoð swiðe afelled [Otho: avalled].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)20972 : Þe cheorches hii forbarnde, þe chastles hii afulde.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5101 : Of þe tour þay affulde a pan four feþeme on lengþe & brede.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5231 : Þe kyng dude onon afelle Many þousande okes.
2.
(a) To overthrow (sb.); esp., to overcome (morally), plunge (sb. into sin, dishonor, etc.); (b) to subdue, bring low (power, pride, etc.); refute (an argument); allay (suffering); (c) to bring (a name) into disuse, drop.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)16/227 : Þe engles..seoð hare suster se seorhfuliche aueallet [Tit: afallet].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)37/399 : Ich am aueallet [Roy: afallet].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)33b : To wac ha is istrengðet þet a windes puf, a word, mei afellen [Tit: afallen; Nero: auellen] & warpen in to sunne.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)53/28 : Hwo nule þunchen þeonne wunder of an ancre þet a windes puf of a word auelleð?
- a1425 PPl.C (Lond-U V.88)4.163 : Afelde [Hnt: Ȝoure fader, hue felde, fals and hue togederes].
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)104/11 : Þa syðæn weron deofles mihtæ on hinderling afulled.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3839 : Þurh þe haueð Morgan, mi mæi, is monschipe afallet.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25684 : Al þis lond he wule for-fare buten þu afeollen [Otho: alegge] ure kare.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)690 : Wittie wordes..schulen þe flit of þine fan swiftliche afellen [vrr. auellen, afallen].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)36/36 : A meiden ure muchele ouergart þus auealleð [Roy: afalleð].
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2854 : Cristendom þai han michel afeld.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11818 : Þus Armoriche nome niðer wæs auælled [Otho: afalled].