▪ I. spele
var. speel n. and v.
▪ II. spele, v.1 Now dial. and rare.
Forms: 1 spelian, 3 spelien, 4 spelie, -ye; 3 Orm. spelenn, 4 spele, s.w. dial. 8 speal, 9 spale.
[OE. spelian, related to ᵹespelia and spala substitute (see spale n.1), of obscure origin.]
1. trans. To take or stand in the place of (another); to represent.
| c 960 Rule St. Benet (Schröer) 114 For Cristes arwurðnysse and for þæs lufe, ðe he spelað. c 1000 ælfric Gram. v. 8 Pronomen is ðæs naman speliend, se spelað þone naman, þæt ðu ne ðurfe tuwa hine nemnan. c 1000 ― Hom. II. 62 Næs ðeah Isaac ofsleᵹen, ac se ramm hine spelode. ? c 1730 Dorset Voc. in N. & Q. 6th Ser. (1883) VIII. 45 Speal, to spare one and take his place. |
2. To spare or save (something); to leave over; to use sparingly or frugally.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 31 Ȝef þu ani þing spelest and leuest, þat þu forlest. c 1200 Ormin 10133 Þatt te birrþ hellpenn iwhillc mann..Wiþþ all þatt tu mihht spelenn wel & libbenn þær wiþþutenn. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1204 Wykkedlyche al þat gode he dyspendyþ þat hys fadyr for godenesse spelyþ. c 1330 ― Chron. Wace (Rolls) 14470 Schipes he hadde, y ne wot how fele; Alle he tok, & non wold spele. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 432 As an hounde..so gan ich to brake, And spilde þat ich spele myghte. c 1400 St. Alexius (Trin.) 208 Al þat he spelye myȝte,..His pouere feren he delde. 1880 W. Cornwall Gloss. 53/2 Spale,..to make anything last a long time. To spare. |
| absol. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xiv. 77 Boþe [to] spele and spare to spene vpon þe needful. |
† b. To set aside; to neglect. Obs.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 96 He & oþer fele sent vnto Roberd, Þat stound suld he not spele, sen he þat tiþing herd. |
† 3. To spare (a person); to leave unpunished or unharmed. Obs.
| a 1300 Body & Soul in Map's Poems (Camden) 339 Forlorn wretches that tou miȝtest spele,..wȝi lestouȝ hem be born? c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12428 Arthur..smot hym sore woundes fele, Nought of hym ne wolde he spele. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 458 Þar-for y am to þe y-sent to spelie þai doȝty men. |
† b. To respite from death. Obs.
| 13.. Seuyn Sages (W.) 542 To-dai tho hast him fram deth i-speled. |
Hence † ˈspeling vbl. n., sparing. Obs.
| c 1420 Anturs Arth. xx. (Douce MS.), Þes arne þe graceful giftes of þe holy goste, Þat enspires iche sprete, withe oute speling. |
▪ III. † spele, v.2 Obs. rare.
Also 7 speale.
[ad. OF. espeler (mod.F. épeler), espelir: cf. spell v.2]
1. trans. a. To interpret or explain as. b. To signify or mean.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 170 Þes nome Assuer is ispeled eadi,..& bitocneð God: eadi ouer alle. Ibid., Mardocheus speleð ‘amare conterens impudentem’. |
2. intr. To spell.
| a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 694/76 Sum leueþ on hit, As children leorneþ for to spele. 1611 Cotgr., Espeler, to spell, to speale; to ioyne letters, or sillables together. Ibid., Espelement, a spelling, or spealing of words. |
Hence † ˈspeler (in 7 spealer), = speller2 1.
| 1611 Cotgr., Appelleur, a caller; or spealer. |