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Anglo-Saxon

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sǽl

  • noun [ masculinefeminine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
sǽl, es; m.: e; f.
Wright's OE grammar
§387; §419;
time, occasion
Show examples

  • 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
Show examples

  • 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.
Show examples

  • Nú íssǽl (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.)
Show examples

  • 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
      • .

  • All middellærdess sceþe and sel,

    • Orm. 14304.

  • For quoso suffer cowþe syt (trouble), sele wolde folȝe,

    • Allit. Pms. 92, 5.
Etymology
[
Goth. sélei goodness:
Icel. sæla bliss, joy, happiness.
]
Similar entries
v. gyte-, heáh-sǽl; sǽlþ.
Linked entries
v.  sél.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “sǽl.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/26212.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • sǽl, n.

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