Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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EORL

  • noun [ masculine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
EORL, es; m. I. an Anglo-Saxon nobleman of high rank, the yarl of the Danes, about the same as an ealdorman. He who was in early times styled ealdorman, was afterwards denominated
Wright's OE grammar
§85; §335;
an earl; cŏmes, sătelles princĭpis. This title, which was introduced by the Jutes of Kent, occurs frequently in the laws of the kings of that district, the first mention of it being
Show examples

  • Gif on eorles túne man mannan ofslæhþ xii scillinga gebéte

    if a man slay a man in an earl's town, let him make compensation with twelve shillings,

    • L. Ethb. 13
      • ;
    • Th. i. 6, 9,
      • 10.

  • Its more general use among us dates from the later Scandinavian invasions, and though originally only a title of honour, it became in later times one of office, nearly supplanting the older and more Saxon one of 'ealdorman:' — Swá we eác settaþ be eallum hádum, ge ceorle ge eorle so

    also we ordain for all degrees, whether to churl or earl,

    • L. Alf. pol. 4
      • ;
    • Th. i. 64,
      • 3.

  • Se eorl nolde ná géþwsǽrian

    the earl would not consent,

    • Chr. 1051
      • ;
    • Ing. 227, 13, 23: 228, 4, 28, 35, 36: 229, 10, 21, 25,
      • 26.

  • II. a man, brave man, hero, general, leader, chief; vir, pŭgil, vir fortis, dux Eorlas on cýþþe

    men in the country.

    • Andr. Kmbl. 1467
      • ;
    • An. 735
      • .

  • Him se Ebrisca eorl wísade

    the Hebrew man [Lot] directed them.

    • Cd. 112
      • ;
    • Th. 147,
      • 24;
    • Gen. 2444
      • .

  • Ða eorlas þrý,

    nom. pl. the three men,

    • 95
      • ;
    • Th. 123,
      • 16;
    • Gen. 2045
      • .

  • Eorlas wénaþ

    men think,

    • 86
      • ;
    • Th. 109,
      • 22;
    • Gen. 1826
      • .

  • Fór eorlum before the people, 98; Th. 129, 1; Gen. 2137. þegna and eorla

    of thanes and earls,

    • Bt. Met. Fox 25,
      • 15 ;
    • Met. 25,
      • 8.

  • Geared gumum gold brittade, se eorl wæs æðele

    Jared dispensed gold to the people, the man was noble.

    • Cd. 59
      • ;
    • Th. 72,
      • 5;
    • Gen. 1182
      • .
Etymology
[
Piers P. eerl:
Chauc. erl:
R. Glouc. erles noblemen:
Laym. eorl:
Orm. eorless, pl:
O. Sax. Hel. erl, m. a man, nobleman, male offspring, boy:
Icel. jarl, earl, m. a gentleman, nobleman, warrior, chief
.]
Linked entries
v.  ealdor-man eorl-dóm.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “EORL.” 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/9520.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • EORL, n.

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