▪ I. victual, n.
(ˈvɪt(ə)l)
Forms: α. 4–6 vitaile (4 -aille), vitayle (5 -aylle), 5 vitayll, 5–6 -ail(l; 4–6 vytayle (5–6 -aylle, 5 Sc. wytaylle), 5–6 vytaile (5 -aille), 5 -ayl(l; 4–5 vetaille (4 -aile), 5 vetayle, 6 -ayll; 5 Sc. wittail(e, -aill, wytaill, 6 vittayle, -aile, 6–7 vittail; 5 Sc. wictaill, 6 -ayll, -ayle, vectayll, 6–7 victail. β. (Chiefly Sc.) 5 vitt-, vet-, 6 vict-, 5–6 vyt-, vitale; 5 wit(t)-, wyt-, wet-, wictale. γ. 5–6 vitall (6 -al, witall), 5 vytall, 6 -al; 5–6 vitell (5 vet-, wetell), vitel, 5 fyt-, 6 vytel(l; 5 wetyl; 6 vitoll. δ. 5 vittale, 5–6 vittall, 5 (9) vittal; 5–6 vittell (5 wytt-, 6 wett-, vyttell), 6, 8, 9 dial., vittel, 6–7, 8–9 dial. vittle (7 victle), 9 dial. fittle, wittle. ε. 6 wyttuel, wittual, 7 vittual, 8 vitual; 6 victuayle, Sc. wictuale, victuale, -wale, -uel(l, 5–7 victuall (6 wictuall, -wall), 6 vyctual, 6– victual.
[a. AF. and OF. vitaile, -aille (OF. also vitale, -alle, vittalle, victaille) fem.:—late L. victuālia, neut. pl. of post-classical L. victuālis, f. victus food, sustenance: cf. Prov. vit(o)alha, Sp. vitualla, Pg. vitualha, It. vettovaglia. The variant OF. and mod.F. form victuaille has been assimilated to the L. original, and a similar change in spelling has been made in English, while the pronunciation still represents the forms vittel, vittle. (See also vitaly.)]
1. collect. Whatever is normally required, or may naturally be used, for consumption in order to support life; food or provisions of any kind.
Occasionally applied to food for animals, but more commonly restricted to that of persons.
| α 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 10555 Y was wunt to lede vytayle To knyȝtes þat were yn batayle. 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 3025 Al þus þemperur haþ him diȝt... Þar to schipes wiþ gode vitaile. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1488 Hypsipyle, Askynge hem a-noon If they were broken or woo begoon Or hade nede of lodesmen or vitayle. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 371 Devourours of vetaile þat fouȝten er þei paide. a 1417 York Memor. Bk. (Surtees) I. 222 Fysshe and other vitaill ar ofte tymes conceled..in this citee. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 98 He schuld haue vii ȝere plenteþ e of corne and all oþer vytayle. a 1500 in C. Trice-Martin Chanc. Proc. 15th C. (1904) 4 Yf the dette be surmysed to growe by the bying or sellyng of any maner of vetayll. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlvi. 156 He shall departe in this lytell shyppe..and take vytayle in to it for there prouysyon. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 105 By that waie neither man nor vitaill could passe or come. 1548 Patten Exped. Scotl. Pref. a viij b, The time and place whan and whither they shall cum, and with how much prouision of vitail. 1592 Kyd Sol. & Pers. iii. i. 50 Footemen..well exercised in war; And, as it seemes, they want no needful vittaile. |
| β 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 168 Quhar thai mycht get Till thame and thairis vittale and met. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxx. (Theodera) 425 Þai ordenyt hyr þare out-rydere, Þar witale to þe house to by. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 1873 Syr Alers,..with swith grete vetale, Come that kastel to asayle. 1487 Act 3 Hen. VII, c. ix. §3 That every freman..may lede, carie, and goo, with his or their Vetale, Ware or merchaundise. a 1500 Bernard, de cura rei fam. (E.E.T.S.) 110 Geff thow..hase to sel wetale in gret substance, Se be na way na derth þat thou desyre. |
| γ c 1400 Destr. Troy 5176 In þat prouyns is plenty all of prise vitell, Of corne, & of catell. 1472 Presentmts. of Juries in Surtees Misc. (1890) 23 We say y{supt} yer have boght of late..unsesanabyll wetyl, y{supt} is to say, feche & herrynge, bothe Thom Smythe & John Clyffe. Ibid. 27 For brynghyng in of wetell for the welfare of comhons. c 1475 Henryson Fables, Twa Mice 102 (Bann. MS.), Thair harbery wes tane In till a spens with vitall of grit plentie. 1513–4 Act 5 Hen. VIII, c. 6 The great scarcyte of grayne and vytell at this present tyme. 1531 in J. Bulloch Pynours (1887) 61 The berne of salt..and all wther witall..borne be the Pynouris. 1538 Starkey England i. iii. 74 In so much that vytel and nuryschment suffycyent for them can skant here be found. 1570 Levins Manip. 13 Vitall, penu, victus. |
| δ c 1480 Wyntoun's Cron. i. 564 (MS. E.), Within þat ile ar citeis ten Stuffit with wittall gud and men. 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 108 They schall lacke no men nor vettell. 1494 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 247 For a bayte that careit the wrychtis and thar wyttell to the loche, v s. 1573–80 Tusser Husb. (1878) 41 Twise a day giue him fresh vittle and drinke. 1599 Dallam in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.) 88 The iland Zante hathe all theire provition of vittell from thence. a 1618 Sylvester Maiden's Blush 355 Th' Heav'nly Herald..sees there the Brethren lying Along the Grasse, and busie at their Vittle. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 316 For, as we said, he always chose To carry Vittle in his Hose. 1723 Swift Stella at Woodpark Wks. 1755 IV. i. 40, I must confess, your wine and vittle I was too hard upon a little. 1748 Mary Leapor Poems Sev. Occasions 124 When you gather Strength a little, Can walk abroad and eat your Vittle. 1789 Burns Robin shure in Hairst iv, Robin promised me A' my winter vittle. 1847– in dial. glossaries, etc. (Worc., Hereford, Shropsh., Warw., Gloc., Dorset) in the form fittle. 1881 Gd. Words 846/1 It's a pity as you've no stomach to yer vittle. |
| ε 1523 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 39 The Frenche men..lye yn wayte..to destroye the Conductours of our victuayle. 1559–66 in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844) 71 To hinder the victuall from comeing to Edinburgh. 1570–6 W. Lambarde Peramb. Kent 130 Deuouring and consuming..the victuall of the countrey. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 1247 Germenchius hath put in three moneths victuall into Hust in Transylvania. 1627 Bacon Sylva §649 The Making of Things Inalimental, to become Alimental, may be an Experiment of great Profit, for Making new Victual. 1681 H. Nevile Plato Rediv. 92 The cheapness of Victual, and the want of Labourers. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 60 It might seem to prohibit the buying of grain and other victual. 1817 Byron Beppo xxix, And Laura waited long, and wept a little,..She almost lost all appetite for victual. 1856 Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. (1870) I. 111 A refreshment-room, with drinks and cakes and pastry, but..no substantial victual. 1859 Tennyson Geraint & Enid 201 A fair-hair'd youth, that in his hand Bare victual for the mowers. |
† b. Produce of the ground capable of being used as food.
Obs. white victual (
quot. 1799),
= next.
| c 1374 Chaucer Former Age 36 Ther as vitayle is ek so skars and thinne Þat nat but mast or apples is ther inne. c 1386 ― Clerk's T. 3 Ther is at the West side of Ytaille..A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille. 1625 Bacon Ess., Plantation (Arb.) 531 Then consider, what Victuall or Esculent Things there are, which grow speedily, and within the yeere. 1627 May Lucan iv. 99 Nor can the souldiers goe To forrage: the drown'd fields no vittaile leaue. 1798 Malthus Popul. (1878) 228 This may be justly attributed to the effects of the scarcity and bad victual in the year 1783. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Perth 147 The land is pulverized and better made for the succeeding crop of white victual. |
c. Sc. Grain, corn. ?
Obs.| 1473 Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 171 Alsua tha sal haue the tend vitale for ij{supc}{suph} of bere and mele. 1557 Rec. Inverness (New Spald. Cl.) I. 7 To..pay Isbell Damster the hyest price of ane boll wyttuell and thre pects to entres. 1585 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 292/1 For payment..of aucht chalderis 3 bollis wictuall, thairof 45 bollis beir and the remanent meill. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Stat. Robert I, 36 It is statute be the king, that all they quha buyes victuall..fra burgessis at their granares, they..may carie that victuall quhere they please. 1678 Sir G. Mackenzie Crim. Laws Scot. i. xxiv. §1 (1699) 119 Usury is that Crime..committed in Bargains of Victual, or Tacks. Ibid. ii. xiv. §1. 211 A landed man, whose Rent exceeds a thousand Merks, or ten Chalders of Victual. 1726 P. Walker Life A. Peden in Biog. Presbyt. (1827) I. 53 He enquired at Mrs. Steil, if she wanted a Servant for threshing Victual? 1785 Burns 3rd Epist. to Lapraik vii, [Till] a' the vittle [be] in the yard, An' theekit right. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Perth 99 In drying on the iron floor, the victual must be constantly turned. 1812 G. Chalmers Dom. Econ. Gt. Brit. 262 Though neither the nominal, nor the real, prices of victual were equal to those of the times of queen Anne. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie xlii, He has been very kind to the poor, having divided five load of victual among all the needful in the parish. 1843 Report Jedburgh Thirlage Trial 8 A portion of that corn or victual, ground at the mills, which is kept by the miller. |
† d. (See
quot.)
Obs.—0| 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 241/1 Vitell, or Viandes, the term for Hawks meat. |
2. pl. Articles of food; supplies, or various kinds, of provisions; in later use
esp. articles of ordinary diet prepared for use.
| α 13.. K. Alis. 855 (Laud MS.), And Olyfauntz & ek Camayles, Boþe hij charged wiþ vitailes. a 1350 Will. Palerne 1121 Wel þei were warnestured of vitayles i-now, plentiuosly for al peple. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 55 Whanne derþe of vitailles is in al Engelond aboute, þere is þe lasse i-solde. c 1444 Lydg. in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 220 To chese suych vitaylles ther braynes wer to woode. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxx. 142 Cartes shal folowe for to bryng and arriue the vitailles fro the shippes. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxi. 213 They bare all in to y⊇ shyp, & vytaylles suffycyent. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 77 The vytayles (especially the byskette breade) corrupted by takynge water. 1596 Bp. W. Barlow Three Serm. ii. 47 Among all other, Famine and Dearth of vittails is not the least. 1607 Dekker & Webster Sir T. Wyatt Wks. 1873 III. 103 Good victailes makes good blood. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) 85 Which I paide.., Because they should not think I came to sharke Only for vittailes. |
| β 1375 Barbour Bruce xv. 92 Schir Eduard gert men gang and se All the vitalis of that cite. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. 5027 [He] Saw his wictalis war nere gane, And hop of reskew had he nane. 1453–4 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) I. 280 That al maner of viteiloures..shulde have bene arrested by har bodys..that byinn of them any vittalis. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxxxi. 15, I will blesse hir vytales with increase, & wil satisfie hir poore with bred. 1547 Boorde Introd. Knowl. ii. (1870) 127 In the whych is vsed good fashion and good vytales. 1575 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 97 Mye miserable Mistrisse..is oftentymes driven very harde..for her vittales and lodginge. |
| γ c 1400 Melayne 1195 He garte dele his vetells then Firste amanges oure wonded men. 1401 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 15 We faylyth vitels and men. Ibid. 16 They mowe have godes and fytelles plente. c 1482 J. Kay tr. Caoursin's Siege of Rhodes ¶3 Also they lakked vytalles. 1510 Sel. Cases Crt. Star Chamber (Selden) 205 So he toke fro many pore men their vitals to ther grete hurte. 1545 Brinklow Compl. ii. 13 In London and other placys ther be many offended with the great price of vitells. 1599 Dallam in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.) 83 We could not gitt any vitels. Ibid. 86 We ever had vitals reddie dreste for 3 dayes. |
| δ 1554–9 Songs & Ball. Phil. & Mary (Roxb.) 12 And dear cheape of vittels withe the thowe hast brought To the towne. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 46 With plate, monny, harnes, horse, & wettelles. 1573–80 Tusser Husb. (1878) 98 To thy sheepe go and looke, for dogs will haue vittles. 1606 Sir G. Goosecappe i, Good companions yfaith; I see you come not for vittles. 1621 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) I. 271 Wee had great store of fresh victles. c 1645 Tullie Siege of Carlisle (1840) 27 One John Head..who pretended to fetch vittells out of the Country. 1696 Monthly Mercury VII. 87 We saw..vast Provision of Vittles and Ammunition. 1731–8 Swift Pol. Conversat. 112, I would rather want Vittles than Elbow-Room. 1838 J. Grant Sk. Lond. 171 You knows that no one can hact well without vittals, and I have not had a mouthful since yesterday. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. ix, Dinner was announced by Bailey junior in these terms,—‘The wittles is up!’ 1892 ‘Q’ (Quiller Couch) I saw Three Ships vi. 106 And so say I, wi' all these vittles cryin' out to be ate. |
| ε 1523 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 39 As for victuaylys in our waye we shuld be sure none to fynde. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 452 b, The Frenchemen, to the intent they might have victualles in a readines [etc.]. 1596 Edward III, iv. ii. 4 That neither vituals nor supply of men May come to succour this accursed towne. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 422 Great store of victuals and all things necessary. 1618 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) I. 45 When the Bannyans sayle by it they heave vittuals overboard..as a sacrifice. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 101 The Wages of a..Labourer..is 4s. per week without Victuals. 1727 Swift Gulliver i. vi, I had three hundred cooks to dress my victuals. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) III. 299 The young animals..began to dispute about their victuals, although they were given more than they could use. 1798 C. Smith Yng. Philos. I. 56 She once lost a salt spoon by one of them, whom Master George thought proper to bring to her door for cold victuals. 1840 Hood Up Rhine 218 It seems to me a very odd proceeding for..a town to lay a tax on the persons who bring it victuals. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xv, There was..decking of the hall in the best hangings..; cooking of victuals, broaching of casks. |
† b. clerk of the victuals,
= the victualler of Calais (see
victualler 2 a
note).
Obs.| c 1570 R. Turpyn in Chron. Calais (Camden) Introd. 18 Havinge ther another offyce of the Quenes Majesty called by the name of Clarke of the Victuals. |
† c. at victuals, engaged in eating.
Obs.| 1681 H. Foulis Hist. Romish Treasons 40 Books read to him whilst he was at Victuals. |
† 3. pl. a. Animals serving for food.
Obs.| c 1550 Disc. Common Weal Eng. ii. (1893) 60 The more husbandrie is occupied, the more vniversall brede should be of all victualles, as of neate, shepe, swyne, gese, eges, butter, and chese. 1641 More's Edw. V, 104 The Pageants were amaking day and night at Westminster, and vitailes killed which afterwards was cast away. |
† b. Military stores; munitions of war.
Obs.| 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. iv. 10 Moreover he added, that they had great abundance of Victuals, amongst the which there were 12 Basilisks. |
4. An article of food.
rare.
| 1558 Bp. Watson Sev. Sacram. ix. 50 This heauenly foode is..a strong vitale, making vs able to endure the painful iorney to the kingdome of heauen. 1829 Carlyle Misc., German Playwrights (1840) II. 50 The Germans, who instead of a measurable and sufferable spicing of theatric matter,..have in fact nothing else to live on but that highly unnutritive victual. |
5. attrib. and
Comb. (chiefly
Sc.), as
victual-dealer,
victual-house,
victual land-male,
victual-merchant,
victual office,
victual-rent,
victual-scanting adj.,
victual silver,
victual stipend,
victual wain.
| 1496 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 310 Giffin to the skippar of the schip..for Ȝonk Gherardis mennis fraucht and wittalis siluir, vij li. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 105 The Female..espying hir time, when and how she may come to the Lawder or Vittailehouse. 1592 in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. (1892) 90/2 The victuall land maillis of Clestrane benorthe the burne. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 95 If there were any, that had repining victuall-scanting Maisters tyrannizing neuerthelesse for their work. 1600 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. (1890) 354/2 Pro preservatione navium contra tempestates et lie victuell-housis. 1668 in Extr. St. P. rel. Friends iii. (1912) 278 Of late since his Ma[jes]ties imployment has slackn'd at the Victuall Office. 1765–8 Erskine Inst. Law Scot. ii. vi. §40 If the landlord refuse to receive his victual-rent when offered to him in due time. 1801 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 28 The farmer or victual-merchant. Ibid., The profession of the farmer or the victual-dealer. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xlv, There was no knowing how long he might be in paying the next term's victual stipend. 1891 Doyle White Company xix, The rogue got between me and the nearest French victual wain. |
Hence
victual-less a., destitute of victuals.
| 1831 Carlyle in Froude First 40 Years (1882) II. 165, I arrived at Liverpool..quite sleepless, and but for your dinner,..quite victual-less. |
▪ II. victual, v. (
ˈvɪt(ə)l)
Forms: α. 4–5
vitaile (5
-aille), 4–6
vitayle,
-aylle, 6
vitaill; 4–5
vetayle, 5
-aille; 4
vytaile (5
-aille), 4–6
vytaylle, 5
-ayle; 4–7
vittaile (6
Sc. victaile), 6
vytteyle,
vittaill- (
Sc. wictaill). β. 5
Sc. vitt-,
wittale, 5–6
vitale (5
vytale). γ. 4
vitele, 5–6
vitel; 5
vetele, 5–6
vitell-; 5
vytel, 6
-ell; 5
vitule, 6
-alle. δ. 5
vittall, 6
vitt-,
vyttell; 5
Sc. wittule, 6
Sc. wittall,
wictill; 6
vitle, 6–7
vittle (7
wictle). ε. 6–7
victuaile (6
Sc. wictuale), 6–8
victuall (6
Sc. wictwall), 6–
victual (7
victu'l).
[ad. AF. and OF. vitailler (also OF. vit-, victuailler), f. vitaille victual n. Cf. Sp. vituallar, Pg. vitualhar, It. vettovagliare.] 1. trans. To supply or furnish (a ship, castle, garrison, body of troops, etc.) with victuals,
esp. with a store to last for some time.
| α 13.. Coer de L. 1382 Two hundred sehyppys ben wel vytailid, With force hawberks, swerdes and knyvys. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 339 For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrly Duell thar, quhill thai war wictaillit weile. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 194, I charge you and bidde this, That ye the same Schip vitaile. c 1450 Brut ii. 428 That Towne and the Castelle weren welle vitailid and eke mannyd. 1472 Paston Lett. Suppl. 143 Thei stuffe and vetayll sore the place. 1485 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 318 That no..man victaile, nor make to be victailed, none of the saide men of warre. 1523–4 R. Gruffithe in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. I. 193 They have ayded and vittailed the Kyng's enymyes. 1553 Brende Q. Curtius D vij, So great an army as he had..could not be vitailed in a desolate countrey. |
| β 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 63 The castell weill vittalit thai With met, and fwaill can purvay. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 2 Certeyne castelles..whiche they hade vytaled. c 1520 M. Nisbet Acts xii. 20 Thai askit pece, for alsmekile that thare cuntreis war vitalit of him. |
| γ c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 274 He were..ȝit more traitour, ȝif he lettide oþere knyȝttis..to vitele þes men asegid. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4710 At this tenydon truly was a tried castell,..Wele viteld, I-wisse, for winturs ynoghe. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 205 When he had vyteld his schippis, and made hym redy. 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 109 Thaye hawe vetellyd and mannyd the town of Ary. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lix. 203 It was impreyngnable so it were well vytellyd. 1534 in Star Chamb. Cases (Selden) II. 290 They may always vitalle theire townes, castelles and fortresses with suche playntie of vitalles. 1550 J. Coke Eng. & Fr. Heralds §75 Richard..distroyed th' oost of the Egiptians comminge to vytell the Soldane in Jerusalem. |
| δ c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ii. 1580 (Cott. MS.), Eneas gert twa schippis be Wittulyt and laid to þe se. 1490 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 129 Eftir at the Kingis schip wes chaysit in Dumbertane,..send with Johne of Haw to vittall hir,..xviij li. 1555 Bradforth in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xlv. 129 For, saye they, yf we have the sea to vyttell us, we shall have powre to rule Ingland. 1587 Harrison England ii. i. (1877) i. 6 The king..commanded the Londoners not to aid nor vittell them. 1611 J. Davies (Heref.) in Coryat Crudities i. 3 He his Gorge with Grapes did vittle. 1670 Milton Hist. Eng. vi. Wks. 1851 V. 248 New Ships in every Port were builded, vittl'd,..and appointed to meet all at Sandwich. |
| ε 1558 Bp. Watson Sev. Sacram. Ser. i. 3 The fift thing..is when his armye is..well victualled,..then to merche forward. 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 97 b, Letters from the Prince, aduertising them, that hee meant the night following to victuall them. 1598 Bacon Sacr. Medit., Miracles Ess. (Arb.) 103 He [Christ] multiplyed the scarsitie of a few loues and fishes to a sufficiency to victuaile an host of people. 1640 Gent Knave in Gr. i. i. B ij, A Leaguer cannot be planted, mann'd, victuall'd, and munition'd, with a small magazine. 1670 R. Coke Disc. Trade 34 Before the Act we could Victual Ships with good and substantial Food cheaper than the Dutch. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 28 ¶5 These dangerous Captains who could victual an Army as well as lead it. 1765 Museum Rust. IV. 196 The very large extent of foreign trade, which requires a great many more ships to be victualled out now than formerly. 1777 Robertson Hist. Amer. ii. (1783) I. 100 This squadron..was victualed for twelve months. 1800 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1837) I. 265, I have also written..requiring the reason for which he did not victual this corps..as I ordered. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy xvi, Jack..pushed his way through the prisoners, who were being mustered to be victualled. 1865 H. Phillips Amer. Paper Curr. II. 84 By unscrupulous foraging the troops were victualed from day to day. |
| fig. 1648 Beaumont Psyche xii. 189 They who with all riotous Dainties strive To fortify the Belly, but can finde No time to victuall and enforce [1702 recruit] the Minde! |
b. refl. To provide or stock (oneself) with victuals.
| 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 375 They vyttayled them selues with fresshe meate. 1572 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Eliz. (1908) 163 Expences in vittelling him selfe and iii of his fellows. 1612 Selden Illustr. Drayton's Poly-olb. ix. 326 Lhewelin..compeld the English campe to victuall them⁓selves with horse-flesh. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 335 If they could get Provisions to victual themselves with. 1768 in Kitson Life Jas. Cook vi. (1907) 90, {pstlg}120 a year for victualling himself. 1819 Scott Leg. Montrose v, He will..do wisely to victual himself for at least three days. 1887 Field 24 Dec. 973/1 To see that the crew properly victual themselves. |
2. intr. a. To partake of victuals; to eat. Also of animals, to feed or pasture.
| 1577 Tusser Husb. (1878) 187 At meales my friend who vitleth here,..Shall both be sure of better chere, and scape with lesser cost. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. 55 b, When..euery man at boorde Had vittled well, and all was whiste. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 38 In houses, where men vittaile vpon the way, a man shall meete many times with a bare couple of Hens. 1822 Byron Juan vii. xlviii, As a..bell-wether [will] form the flock's connection By tinkling sounds, when they go forth to victual. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. iii, Soon we found Peggy and Smiler [the horses] in company,..victualling where the grass was good. |
b. To lay in or obtain a supply of victuals.
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. iii. 418 When he (there victling well, and store of gold Aboard his ships brought) his wild way did hold. 1655 Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 322 Others [say] that he hath only victualed or taken in fresh water in those partes and is gone southward. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. iii. (1691) 61 Because the French cannot Victual so cheap as the English, and Dutch, nor Sail with so few Hands. 1709 Lond. Gaz. No. 4582/3 Men belonging to Ships which are..Cleaning, Refitting, or Victualling at the Ports. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 46 Which was a voyage of such a length, that no ship could victual for. |
Hence
ˈvictualled ppl. a.| 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxxii, Some five and twenty of the soundest and best victualled ships. |