Middle English Dictionary Entry
cavel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cavel n. Also kavel. |
| Etymology | A northern word taken from ON; cp. OI cafl, cafli a stick of wood & MDu. kāvelen draw lots, alot. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The drawing of lots or a lot so drawn; casten cavel(es, draw lots; ~ fell, the lot fell (upon sb.); (b) a splinter or fragment.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1249) Statut.Gild.Berwick*93 (435) : Non habebit loth neque cauel cum confratre nostro.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18907 : Þan kest þai cauel [Göt: caueles; Trin-C: lottes] þam emell, Bot son a-pon mathie it fell.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21157 : Mathias to þe tuelue was chosen, Als þe cauel [Frf: cauil; Trin-C: lot] on him fell.
- c1400 SLeg.Geo.(2) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)29 : Ylke a day kavell to caste..Knafe ne mayden sparde þai none to wham þe kavell fell.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1426 : Sone keuells did þay caste, And euyr fell it to frayste Vntill Sir Wawayne.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)93 : Þei þat tentun to dremis..or canelis [read: cauelis; L sortes]..or chitering of briddus.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)96 : And þus sortilegers þat settun þer curst finaly in þe cauil.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)799 : Sa sare was þe semble þire seggis be-twene, Þat al to-wraiste þai þar wode..Al to-clatirs into cauels clene to þaire handis; Þar left nouþire in þar hand þe lengthe of an ellyn.