† paregal, peregal, a. and n. Obs.
Forms: α. 4 parigal, -agal, (paringal(le, -ingale, paruyngal, parmyngalle), 5–6 paregall, 6 -egale, 7 -egal. β. 4 perigal(e, 4–7 peregal(l, 5–6 -egalle, (5 perengale, peringall), 6 perigall, (perregal).
[a. OF. parigal, paringal, paregal, peringal (12th c. in Godef.):—L. type *peræquāl-em, f. per- through, thoroughly + æquāl-is equal. Britton, iii. xx. §4, has the deriv. n. perigalté. With peringale, cf. nightingale from OE. nihtegale.]
A. adj.
1. Fully equal; equal (esp. in power, rank, value, or the like).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 776 (Cott.) He dos it for he ne wald ȝee were Parigal [Gött. paringale] til him ne pere. Ibid. 2096 Þof þe werld es..Delt..in thrin parteis principale, Þe partes er noght perigale. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 840 His herte ay wiþ þe firste and wiþ þe beste Stod paregal to dorre don that hym leste. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 64 Alexander, kepe þy most noble saule hegh, and to angeles perengale. c 1450 Merlin 163 Thei heilde hem peryngall. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. xiv. 50 Schynand with elyk armes paregale. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII 44 Although in degree they were not peregall with these great lordes. 1636 Fascic. Florum §273. 63 All goodly fair, in years, all Peregall. |
b. Adequate; adequately qualified, worthy.
| 14.. Hoccleve Aungeles Song ii. Wks. (E.E.T.S.) III. p. xlvii, No praisyng is, þat may be peregall. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) vii. 20 Wald God þat I wer perigall, Vnder þat redolent ross to rest! |
¶ 2. catachr. Equal to any other; of the highest rank or standing.
| 1600 W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 274 Our noble Elizabeth, prince peregall, paramount and paragon. Ibid. 236 An absolute statesman paramount, peregall [1612 T. James Jesuits' Downf. 66 Paregal]. |
B. n. One who is fully equal to another in some respect; an equal, peer, match.
| c 1395 Plowman's Tale 130 That holdeth no man his peringall. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles i. 71 Þoru partinge of ȝoure powere to ȝoure paragals. 14.. Sir Beues 104/2138 (MS. S.) At hoom y am his parmyngalle [N. paruyngal; C. In hys contre y am hys pere]. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. x. 152 Nor na disdene at the sal haue, suythly, To be hys peregall into archery. a 1555 Lyndesay Tragedy 45 Duryng my tyme, I had no perigall. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 39 Bal. How lik'st thou my suite? Cat. All, beyond all, no peregal. |