† wenchel Obs.
Forms: 1, 3 wencel, (1 wincel), 3 wenchel, (Orm. wennchell), wancel.
[OE. wencel n.:—*wankil-, prob. related to wancol wankle a. The form wincel may represent a variant *winkil-.]
A child (of either sex); also, a servant or slave; also, a common woman.
| c 890 Wærferth tr. Gregory's Dial. 11/20, & þa arn an wencel [L. mancipium] mid treowenum æscene.. to þære wyllan. c 1000 St. Basil's Admonitio ii. (1849) 34 And he for his wife ne for his wenclum ne dearr hine sylfne beladian. c 1200 Ormin 3356 Forr ȝuw iss borenn nu to daȝȝ Hælennde off ȝure sinness, An wennchell þatt iss Jesu Crist. c 1205 Lay. 31834 Quelæn þa wifmen, quelen þa wanclen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 334 And hu [he] biseinte Sodome & Gomorre, men & wummen & children [MSS. T, C, were & wif & wenchel]. c 1300 11,000 Virg. 98 in E.E.P. 68 His Cardynals were þeraȝen þat he his dignete gan reue Wiþ wenclen [S. Eng. Leg. 89/96 fole wummen] forto go. |