▪ I. sowl, n. Now dial.
Forms: α. 1 sufel, -ol, -ul, 3 suuel, 4 sou(u)el, 5 sowvel, -uel, -fful. β. 4–5 sowel, 5 -il, 4–5 sowyl(le, 5–6 sowell. γ. 3–6, 9 dial., soule, 4, 6, 9 dial., soul, 5 sowlle, 5– sowle, sowl, 6 sole, 7–9 dial. sool(e, 8–9 sawl, se(a)wl, etc.
[OE. sufel, sufol, = MDu. suvel, zuvel (Du. zuivel), MLG. suvel, OHG. sufil(i neut., sufila fem., ON. sufl (Norw. suvl, sovl, sul, etc.; MSw. sufl, sofl, etc., Sw. sofvel, Da. sul), of uncertain origin.]
1. Any kind of food eaten with bread, as meat, cheese, etc.; relishing or tasty matter added to liquid or semi-liquid food, or the dish so composed. Also fig.
| α c 960 Rule St. Benet (Schröer) 63 We ᵹelyfað þæt ᵹenoh sy to dæᵹhwamlicum ᵹereorde twa ᵹesodene sufel for missenlicra manna untrumnesse. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John xxi. 5 Cnapan, cweðe ᵹe, hæbbe ᵹe sufol? a 1225 Ancr. R. 192 Ne þerf þet meiden sechen nouðer bread, ne suuel, fur þene et his halle. a 1300 Moral Ode 46 in E.E.P. (1862) 23 Þider we sended suuel [sic] & bred to litel & to selde. a 1380 St. Paula 38 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 4 Oþur souuel vsede heo non But oyle wiþ hire bred alon. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 137 ‘Children, han ȝe ony sowvel?’ þat is, mete to make potage, and to medle among potage. 1382 ― 2 Sam. xiii. 5 That she ȝyue to me meet, and make sowil [v.r. sowfful]. |
| β c 1300 Havelok 1143, I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxv. 34 So breed takun and the sowil of potage [Esau] ete and dronk and ȝede forth. 14.. Lat.-Eng. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 579 Edulia, sowell. c 1475 Pict. Voc. Ibid. 788 Hoc edulium, sowylle. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. (1568) 169 The fyrste grene leaves are sodden for kichin or sowell as other eatable herbes be. |
| γ 14.. Langl. P. Pl. B. [xv.] xvi. 11 (MS. Rawl. Poet. 38), To haue my fille of þat fruit [I would] forsake alle other soule. c 1425 Eng. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 661 Hoc edulium, sowle. c 1440 Alph. Tales 201 He had no mor money lefte to by hym with soule vnto his bread bod a peny. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 64 They may be eaten with brede..for soul or kitchyn. Ibid. 66 The most part vse Basil and eate it with oyl & gare sauce for a sowle or kitchen. 1599 T. M[oufet] Silkwormes 54 Feede them therewith (no other soule they craue). 1674 Ray N. Co. Words 44 Sool or Sowle, any thing eaten with bread. 1684 Yorks. Dial. 213 (E.D.S.), Here'st Dubler broken, and nowther sowl nor breau. 1775 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) Misc. Wks. Introd., Whot wofo Times ar' theese! Pot-baws ar scant, an dear is Seawl and Cheese! 1847– in dial. glossaries (Pemb., Glamorgan, Derby, Lanc., Yks., etc.). |
2. attrib. in † sowl-pennies, sowl-silver, money given for the purchase of, or in place of, sowl.
| ? 1292 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 492 Item servientibus domus pro Soulepen'. 1310–1 Ibid. 509 Tribus servientibus ecclesie pro eorum souuelp(enys). 1373–4 Ibid. 579 In solucione facta Camerario pro soulesilver servientium suorum. 1460–1 Ibid. 90 Johanni Stele,..pro suo soulesilver. 1522–3 Ibid. 255 Pro le metcorn, sowlsilver, et aliis necessariis. 1536–7 Ibid. 702 Viginti servientibus infra abbathiam in diebus piscium pro eorum soulsylver. |
▪ II. sowl
obs. or dial. form of soul n. and v.
▪ III. † sowl, v.1 Obs. rare.
Also 5 soul-.
[Of obscure origin. Cf. WFlem. sowelen, suwelen (DeBo), and sole v.3, soll v., solwe v.]
trans. To make foul or dirty; to soil. Hence † sowling vbl. n.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 466/1 Sowlynge, or solwynge,..maculacio. a 1450 Langland's P. Pl. B. xiv. 2 (MS. Bodl. 814), Þouȝ hit [a suit] be soulid and foul y slepe þerynne on nyȝtis. Ibid. 13 Þat y ne soulid hit wiþ siȝtte or sum ydil speche. |
▪ IV. † sowl, v.2 Obs.—1
In 6 soul.
[f. sowl n.]
intr. To form or serve as a relish.
| 1589 Warner Alb. Eng. iv. xx. 85, I haue..a peece of Cheese, as good as tooth may chaw, And bread, and Wildings souling wel. |
▪ V. sowl, v.3 Now dial.
Forms: 7, 9 sole, 8 sol(l, 8–9 sowl(e, soul, 9 soal, s'ool, sool(e, zowl, etc.
[Of obscure origin. It is doubtful how far various dialect uses of soal, soul, sowl, etc., represent the same word. Cf. sool v.]
1. trans. To pull, seize roughly, etc., by the ear or ears. In later use esp. of dogs: To seize (a pig) by the ears.
| 1607 Shakes. Cor. iv. v. 212 Hee'l go, he sayes, and sole the Porter of Rome Gates by th' eares. 1636 Heywood Love's Mistress iv. i, Venus will sole mee by the eares for this. 1671 Skinner Etymol. Ling. Angl., To Sowl one by the ears, vox agro Linc. usitatissima (i.e.) aures summâ vi vellere. [Hence in Ray, Bailey, etc.] 1787– in dial. glossaries and texts. 1892 M. C. F. Morris Yorks. Folk-T. 115–6 An irate father threatening to sowle his refractory son ‘like a dog sowlin' a pig’. |
2. To pull or lug (the ears).
| 1654 Vilvain Epit. Ess. Pref. a v b, Cynthia bids stay, Lest she should sole my Ears away. 1886 S.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., I'll sowle your ears well for you. |