Middle English Dictionary Entry
chēsel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | chēsel n. Also chisel, chycel. |
| Etymology | A ceosel, WS cisel; cp. G kiesel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A pebble; ~ ston; (b) a mass of pebbles; gravel, coarse sand; sand ~.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)197b/b : A litel stoon þat hatte scrupulus, chesell.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)59a/a : Scruphus: chisel.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17:Way)76 fn. : Arena: grawell..glaria: chesylle.
- (c1438) MKempe B (Add 61823)252/4 : As many..as þer arn dropys of watyr..chesely[s] of grauel.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)50/222 : As sond in þe se doth ebbe and flowe, Hath cheselys many vnnumerabyll.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)769/12 : Hec gloria [read: glaria]: a schesellstone.
b
- a1200(OE) Hat.Gosp.(Hat 38)Mat.7.26 : Þan desien men þe getymbrede hys hus ofer sandchisel [vrr. -ceosel, -ciosel].
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)132/52 : To healde hy op hyt nys no ned..For chisel, grauel, stones harde, Ande here depnysse ryȝt dounwarde Hys endeles.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)76 : Chysel or grauel: Acerua, sabulum.
2.
Bran, chaff.
Associated quotations
- a1500 Hrl.1002 Nominale (Hrl 1002:Way)76 (fol.147) : Pertinencia pistrine, Cantabrum: chycelle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.54va (2.7) : Vryn karopos, wiþ a maner of small grauel or chysel in þe ground, seiþ 'colicam passionem' or 'iliacam passionem.'
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.25v (2.4) : Vryn white & þinne wiþ smale grauel, as it were smale chesel..seiþ a malady þat is called..þe nefresie, i. þe stone in þe reyns.
Note: New sense.
Note: Editor's gloss: "a small, coarse sandy precipitate in urine."
Note: Gloss: Pathol. small, coarse sandy precipitate particles in the urine.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)46.14/2-4 : Scirresez. Milke of alemauns iþikked wyþ amydon, chiseberien igrounden wiþouten þe stones..& cheseberien istreed abouen; þe colour is red.
- a1325 Add.46919 Cook.Recipes (Add 46919)55.54/2 : Nou ihere gret vessalage of coyntise of inwyt hou þe schalt maken mes of chyseberien..Þe ston do awy wyþ al þe tail.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)110.59/6 : Chyryse. Take almaundes..Do þerto thridde part of chiryse, þe stones take oute, and grynde hem smale..Make a layour of gode brede..so þat it be stondyng, and florissh it with aneys and with chelberyes [vrr. cheseberyes, chyselberyes, cheiȝelberus] and strawe þervppon.
Note: New forms: Also..(in cpds.) cheiȝel-, chese-, chise-, chel-
Note: New sense (combinations): ~ berie, a cherry; mes of ~beries, a cherry dish made with cherries, meat, and eggs.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)101/1 : Frye kyrnell of chesell-stonys and grynde hem to-gedir and tempre hem with stale ale and drynke it.
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: In cpd.: ~ ston, a cherry stone, cherry pit.
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.--all notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. chesil.