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Anglo-Saxon

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sǽl

  • noun [ masculinefeminine ]
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Grammar
sǽl, es; m.: e; f.
Wright's OE grammar
§387; §419;
time, occasion
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  • Ðá becom se apostol æt sumum sǽle (

    on one occasion

    ) tó ðære byrig
      Pergamum, Homl. Th. i. 62, 24: 70, 23.
  • On sumne sǽl

    quandoque,

      Ælfc. Gr. 38; Som. 40, 66.
  • Heora wíse on nǽnne sǽl wel ne gefór,

      Ors. 4, 4; Swt. 164, 13.
  • Ðás wyrte man mæg niman on ǽlcne sǽl

    this plant may be gathered at any time,

      Lchdm. i. 112, 3.
a fit time, season, opportunity, the definite time at which an event should take place
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  • Ðéh ðe seel síe

    etiamsi oportuerit,

      Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 26, 35.
  • Ðá Godan sǽl þúhte ðá gesóhte hé ðone kynincg

    when it appeared to Goda a favourable opportunity, he visited the king,

      Chart. Th. 202, 30.
  • Hí wundiaþ, ðonne se sǽl cymeþ,

      Fragm. Kmbl. 43; Leás. 23.
  • Ðá wæs sǽl and mǽl, ðæt tó healle gang Healfdenes sunu

    it was the proper time for Hrothgar to go to the banquet-hall,

      Beo. Th. 2021; B. 1008.
  • Óþ ðæt sǽl álamp (cf. Ðá seó tíd gelamp, ðæt . . . , Met. 26, 17) ðæt hió Beówulfe medoful ætbær

    till the proper time arrived for her to present the mead cup to Beowulf,

      1249; B. 622: 4123; B. 2058.
  • Ic ofslóh æt ðære sæcce ðá mé sǽl ágeald (

    when opportunity was offered me:

    cf. ðá him rúm ágeald
      5374; B. 2690) húses hyrdas, 3335; B. 1665: Cd. Th. 121, 11; Gen. 2008.
  • Seó sǽl gewearð (cf. seó tíd gewearð, ðæt se eorl ongan æðele cennan,

      74, 25; Gen. 1227),
    ðæt his wíf sunu on woruld brohte, 72, 14: Gen. 1186.
  • Se sǽl cymeþ, ðæt heó dómes dæges dyn gehýre,

      Salm. Kmbl. 648; Sal. 323.
  • Ne mihte ná lengc manna ǽnig hine sylfne bedyrnan ac gehwá tó sǽles (

    at once

    ) móste clipian,
      Homl. Skt. i. 23, 115.
  • Wit þencaþ sǽles bídan siððan sunne Metod up forlǽt

    we intend to wait till after sunrise,

      Cd. Th. 147, 10; Gen. 2437.
  • Sǽles bídeþ hwonne heó cræft hyre cýþan móte,

      Exon. Th. 413, 28; Rä. 32, 12.
  • Hé sóhte ða seel (sél, Rush.) ðætte hine salde

    quaerebat opportunitatem ut eum traderet,

      Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 26, 16.
time as in bad or
good times, circumstance, condition. v. IV.
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  • Nú ís sǽl (

    a time of misery

    ) cumen, þreá ormǽte,
      Andr. Kmbl. 2332: An. 1167.
  • Storm oft holm gebringeþ in grimmum sǽlum

    storm oft brings ocean into a furious condition,

      Exon. Th. 336, 20; Gn. Ex. 52.
  • Jacob byþ on glædum sǽlum

    exultabit Jacob,

      Ps. Th. 52, 8.
  • Hæfdan beorgas blíðe sǽle

    montes exultaverunt,

      113, 14.
  • Sael gewynsumie roeðe

    casus secundet asperos,

      Ps. Surt. ii. 201, 11.
happiness, good fortune, good time, prosperity (often in pl.)
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  • On ðære stówe wé gesunde mágon sǽles bídan,

      Cd. Th. 152, 21; Gen. 2523.
  • Mæg snottor guma sǽle brúcan, gódra tída,

      Exon. Th. 104, 12; Gú. 6.
  • Sǽlum geblissad

    gladdened with all joys,

      207, 12; Ph. 140.
  • Siteþ sorgcearig, sǽlum bidǽled,

      379, 5; Deór. 28.
  • Syngum tó sǽlum (cf. After liked him ful wele for al was turned him to sele, C. M. 4432)

    for the happiness of sinners,

      84, 21; Cri. 1377.
  • Ne frín ðú æfter sǽlum, sorh is geníwod, Beo. Th. 2648; B. 1322. ¶ On sǽlum, sálum

    in a state of happiness, happy

    [cf. þu ware a sele gief ich was wroð,
      O. E. Homl. ii. 183, 17.
  • Heora færð wes on sæle

    was prosperous,

      Laym. 1310.
  • Selden sal he ben on iele (selde wurþ he blyþe and gled,

      Jes. MS.), Misc. 121, 301
    ] :-- Þá wæs þeód on sǽlum (

    joyous

    ),
      Beo. Th. 1291; B. 643.
  • On sálum,

      1218; B. 607.
  • Ðú on sǽlum wes

    be fortunate,

      2345; B. 1170.
  • On sǽlum

    in times of prosperity,

      Met. 2, 2, 7.
  • Folc wæs on sálum,

      Cd. Th. 184, 13; Exod. 106: 214, 5; Exod. 564: Elen. Kmbl. 387; El. 194.
Etymology
[All middellærdess sceþe and sel, Orm. 14304. For quoso suffer cowþe syt (trouble), sele wolde folȝe, Allit. Pms. 92, 5. Goth. sélei goodness: Icel. sæla bliss, joy, happiness.]
Similar entries
v. gyte-, heáh-sǽl; sǽlþ.
Linked entries
v.  sél.
Full form

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  • sǽl, n.