Middle English Dictionary Entry
cantel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cantel n. Also cantalle, cantle, kantel; (erroneously) catell, cautel. |
| Etymology | AF; cp. CF chantel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A corner, nook; (b) the corner of a shield; ?also, the rim; in ~, by the corner, obliquely, sideways [cp. OF en chantel].
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)384 : Huy nomen þe Quiene and hire child and wounden in a mantel, And leide opon þe heiȝe hurste in a grene cantel.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)474 : Þe leuedi..slep opon a grene cantel.
- (1466) Will York in Sur.Soc.30282 : Lego..gardinum plantatum cum croco prout jacet ad orientalem finem adjunctum cantle de Newerk.
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4231 : Þe cantell of the clere schelde he kerfes in sondyre.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.19 : He keruet of the cantel [Dc: cantelle] that couurt the knyȝte.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.22 : With a cast of the carhonde, in a cantelle he strikes.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6751 : His shylde in cavtell [read: cantell] kyst he þan, And lyghttly on his stede he wane.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)900 : In a cantel of hys scheld ys tok þe spere long.
2.
(a) A chunk, piece, slice; (b) a part, portion; a share; something less than the whole.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)370 : William Salebraunche Libeaus Desconus gan launche Þorȝ out his scheld in haste; A cantell [vr. quarter] fell to grounde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)60 : Cantel, of what euer hyt be: Quadra, minutal.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1032 : Thay hewe theire scheldis to þaire handis In cantells hyngand by.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)100 : Ich haue iȝeten to day twey cantalles of breede, the which' is an hole lofe.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)107 : Myn armes ar so clere: I bere a reddyl and a rake..And iii cantell of a cake In ycha cornare.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1113 : Of Florentys scheld a kantell He cleft þon ryȝt.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)772/30 : Hec quadra: a cantel of brede.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)33/906-7 : Al ihol Mot be þy schryfte..Naȝt þar-of a kantel to a prest, And a kantel to an-oþer.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.3008 : For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng Of no partie or of cantel [vrr. catell, cawtele] of a thyng.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.164 : Bote kynde..tauhte þe tortle to trede, þe pokok to cauke..and oþer bestes alle A cantel of kynde witt.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4514 : Þus ilk cantell of ȝoure cors ȝe call þam driȝtins.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.396 : viij Gallons makith a Buysshell, and neyther hepe nor Cantell..and viij Buysshelles makith a Quarter, striken with a Rasid stryke, and neyther hepe nor Cantell.
3.
A stroke in fencing: ?a stroke aimed at a corner or side; ?an oblique stroke.
Associated quotations
- a1500 The man that wol (Hrl 3542)p.308 : He most have a goode eye bothe fer and nere, And an in stop, and an owte stop, and an hawke quartere, A cantel, a doblet, an half for hys fere.
4.
A piece of timber used as a brace or support [cp. OF chantel; ?also, OE cantel from ML.]
Associated quotations
- (1426-7) Rec.St.Mary at Hill65 : Also þe same day for ij cautels [read: cantels] of tymber, ij s. iiij d.
- (1454) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)355/2 : ij Aale standardes and iiij Cantelles of tymber for Wyn.