† aˈnnihil, v. Obs.
Forms: 5 anychile, 6 adnychell, adnihill, annihil.
[a. Fr. annihile-r, 14–16th c. an(n)ichil(l)er, adnichil(l)er, ad. late L. annihilā-re, adnihilāre (in Jerome), f. ad to + nihil nothing. In med.L. commonly spelt adnichilare, whence the earlier Fr. and Eng. spellings.]
= annihilate (being the earlier equivalent).
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxii. 84 The grete loenge and good renommee of the..inventour of the first lettres neuer shal be extyncted nor anychiled. c 1525 Skelton Bk. of 3 Fools 18 Thou wottest neuer in what maner thou mayst adnychell mine honour. 1591 Horsey Trav. 168 To adnihill and frustrat all this. 1595 Loves Owle (Halliw.) Which els had been long since annihiled. |