Middle English Dictionary Entry
celle n.
Entry Info
| Forms | celle n. Also cel(l, sel(le, scelle. Pl. celles, etc. and scelles, cellen, (early) cellas. |
| Etymology | OE cella, celle & OF celle (beside cele), from L cella. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A subordinate monastic establishment.
Associated quotations
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1129 : Ealle þa priores, muneces, & canonias þa wæron on ealle þa cellas on Englaland.
- c1300 SLeg.Cuth.(LdMisc 108)60 : Þe Abbot sende him out to one of heore celles.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4808 : In þe cite of bangor a gret hous þer was, Þat were vnder seue cellen; & þer of non nas Þat þre hondred monekes nere Inne oþer mo.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.17 : In a celle of Gascoyne þat hatte Alkereul and longed to his abbay.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.172 : A monk ther was..Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle [etc.].
- (a1443) *Pet.Chanc.PRO ser.CP 1 file 12no.195 : The hous of Mary Mawdeleyn of Goldclyff..the which is a Sell and a membre of the Abbey of Bokehelewyn.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)306 : In non abbay wil þai dwell, Bot wendes about fro cel to cel.
2.
(a) An individual cell for a monk or nun in a monastic community; ~ dore (rof); (b) a chamber set aside for a particular use in a monastic community; novis ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)33/118 : Þe Abbod Maroel [read: Marcel]..openede is celle dore and bi-heold a-boute; Ane steorre he fond bi-fore þe dore houinde þare-with-oute.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)198/28 : Wel þov wost þat i ne mai beo bi niȝte fram mine celle.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2211 : Bi hem selue þai schuld go, So monkes don in her celle.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)267 : Þer byeþ Monekes þet uor claustres and uor strayte cellen wel moche an clyerer þanne þe zonne habbeþ wonyinges.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.35 : Seint Austyn..wil mene þat þis seventy were departed everich by hym self in a celle [L in singulis cellis], and translated þe lawe.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)317 : An abbot..fully twenty ȝere satt in his selle, þat neuer lyftede vp his heued to se þe selle rofe.
- (1441) Visit.Alnwick9 : That euery nunnes celle be open in toward the dormytory, as your rewle demaundes.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)67/13 : He ordeyned first seuene maydenes..So vndyr þe wal of þe cherch of Seynt Andrew he mad hem celles, wher þei myte prey and haue parte eke of all dyuyne seruyse.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)101/26 : We defenden straytli þat þe Sustris of þe order haue none cellis in here dortoure.
b
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)38/4 : Efter þe fifte day sal sho be recaiuid in-til þe howse, And don in-til þe celle with þe nouicis. Þare sal sho studie and ete and slape.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)452 : Selle, stodyynge howse: Cella.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2106 : And if scho þan wil langer dwel, Scho sal bide in þe noues sel.
3.
The dwelling place of a hermit or other religious solitary; a hermit's cell, hut, or den; ~ dore (yate).
Associated quotations
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.28 : Ancres and Hermytes þat holdeþ hem in heore Celles.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)171 : Hyt was onys a munke, and had a celle In a wyldernes for to dwelle.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)18.7 : Þer were suche eremites, Solitarie by hem-self and in here selles lyueden.
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)121/45 : Many men..come be dysyre to sene hym..be nyghtys-tyme abydyng at hys celle dore.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)387/48 : Seint paulin þe ermyte..stonding in his selle dore.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)356/7 : A chirche where-inne was biggyd a litil celle, and þere-in dwellid an olde man solitarye, ledynge anchares life.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)382/16 : He fand at his cell yate standand a bere.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.73 : A monke that to chastite was bounde..hadde made hym a selle in a wast grounde..To chastise the freialte of his flesshe.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)197/20 : Seynt Marcelle, the monke, dwellynge in a denne..seey..a sterre schynyng in the dore of his celle.
4.
(a) A private room or apartment; privie ~; (b) a storeroom.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1085 : That al the day hit [the bathhouse] may be warm and light The cellis suspensuris thus thou dight.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)5 : Þe celles þat comown women dwell in þorw oute þe latyn tonge be clepid lupanaria, þat is to sey houses of woluys.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)176 : Now..þyne ypocras is made parfite & welle..serue hit forth with wafurs, boþe in chambur & Celle.
- c1500 Men may leue (Trin-C R.3.19)64 : He calleth a carpentere..To make the cabans here and there, With many a febylle celle.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)525 : Nectanabus..passed in his paleis too a privie sell.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)41b : He schawde þe celles of his aromaz.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.39.2 : Ezechie..shewede to them the selle of spices, and of siluer, and of gold, and of swote thingus.
5.
A confined or confining dwelling place; contextually: a walled city, the pit (of Satan), the womb (of the Virgin).
Associated quotations
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)392/342 : Jesus..I comaunde þe [Satan] go doune, In-to thy selle where þou schalte sitte.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.217 : If þe lust to casten doun þi sight Into þis foule derke erthely selle, Behalden myght þou þere tyrantes felle.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)5284 : Þe fellows folke sone hath he fone, þat sorely soiornd in þer sell.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)434 : The goolden cloyster of maydenhode I mene, Naturys celle, storer of mankynde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)176/234 : I [Diabolus] xal hem brynge on to my celle; I xal hem..showe such myrthe as is in helle.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.20 : Thare sall of Jacob spryng a sterne of mykell light, Portending marye to be gods chosen celle full bryght.
6.
(a) One of the (varying number of) compartments into which the brain was believed divided, each compartment being the seat of a particular faculty; (b) one of the compartments into which the uterus was believed divided, each compartment being responsible for offspring of a particular character.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1463 : Of a man The wit and reson which he can Is in the celles of the brayn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21b/a : In þe brayn beþ þre smale celles..ymaginatiua..logica..memoratiua.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)25a/a : Þe spirit takeþ a liknes and turneþ to his selle fantastik & presentiþ þat liknes to þe soule.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)216/9 : Make him iij cauterijs, oon a litil aboue þe forheed..& oon aboue þe hindere celle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.123 : So febled was his celle retentif And fordirked his ymaginatif, That lost were bothe memorie and resoun.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)55a/b : I say nouȝt þat he schulde leue ȝif a celle [of the brain] passede oute.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)252 : The cellys of memor were yn euery thing fful clere, with out fantesye and ymagynyng.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)30/20 : What euydence haue ȝe þat þe v inward sensitive wittis ben placid bi rewe along in þe heed, and ech in his propre celle, but if, as summe men wolen holde, þat þe fantastik witt is in þe same cellis placid with comoun witt and with ymaginacioun?
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)11/14 : Þe v inward bodili wittis..ben..Comoun witt, ymaginacioun, ffantasye, Estimacioun, and mynde..þei ben in a mannys heed..commune witt is placid in þe forhede. Ymaginacioun is in a selle next aftir folewing, toward þe myddis of þe heed. Þanne nexte to him is sett estimacioun, toward þe hindre eende of þe heed. And mynde is sette in þe nolle bihinde. And eche of þese han to hem her propre chaumbres in þe brayn, or propre cellis or placis, as philosophris seyn.
b
- (a1400) *Barton's Urines (Sln 280)f.283r : Riȝt as þer biþ .7. planetes, summe gode & summe euyl, summe dedli & summe lifli, so eche halle [of the 'mater'] is departid in .7. celles or chaumbur[s] & eche of þo .7. chaumburs in .7. cawetes, eche chaumbur & eche cawet aco[r]dyng in fourme & in complexion to hi[s] planet.
7.
(a) A cavity in the body; (b) a compartment in a fruit; (c) a cell in a honeycomb.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)68a/a : Þis mater is..I gadred togedres in celles of þe modir.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)21a/b : Þogh it [the matrice] haue noght but two..open holowenesses..Neuerþelatter it haþ eche of hem þre foldely cellis and one in þe myddel, so þat after Mundyne þere ben founden in it 7 receptacles.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)230a/a : In þe fruyt þerof beþ þre cellis, and in euerich celle iij graynes oþer four.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)234a/b : Þe greynes [of the pomegranate] beþ y ordeyned in here owne celles by passyng wonder craft of kynde.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)143b/b : Somme [bees] makeþ wex of floures and somme makeþ celles now rounde, now square.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)288a/a : Such wonyng places [of bees] and celles ben alle sexe cornered.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)317a/b : In celles y made of wexe by a wonder craft been gadreþ hony.
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)44 : Also, swete Ihesu, þi bodi is lyke to an hony combe, ffor it is eche way fulle of cellis, and eche celle fulle of hony.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.57ra (2.7) : Þe firste of þe 3 celles is callede by þise 3 names..þe fantastik, ymaginatif, and þe place of mannes sight.
Note: Additional quot., sense 6.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1500(?a1425) Boeth.Bk.Comfort (BodAuct F.3.5)233/209-10 : In a mannys hed is the sete of wisdom and þt wtin thre scelles of thre parties of the hede in thre chaieres. Furste scho sittes in the scelle of the forme partie of the hedde in the sete and in the chaier of undurstondynge.
Note: New forms 'scelle' and (pl.) added to form section. Quot. belongs to sense 6.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)194/5784 : O sely Ankir that in thi selle Iclosid art with stoon and gost not out, Thou maist ben gladder so forto dwelle Then y with wanton wandryng þus abowt.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 2.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--all notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cell.