† eschele Obs.
Also 4 eschel, 5 eschelle.
[a. OF. eschele (mod.F. échelle), eschiele, believed to be an altered form of eschiere, corresp. to It. schiera, of Teut. origin: cf. OHG. skara (MHG. schar, Ger. schaar).]
A troop, squadron (of soldiers); rarely a company (of travellers).
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 7580 With xv thousand in on eschele. 1375 Barbour Bruce viii. 218 In twa eschelis ordanit he had The folk that he had in leding. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xl. 155 Þe worthy men Ðare Folk..arayid þen, And delt þame in-til Eschelis thre. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 47 (Jacob loq.) Rachelle, stand thou in the last eschelle. |