† ˈcapitle Obs.
Also 4–5 itil, -ytle, -itele.
[a. ONF. capitle:—L. capitulum, dim. of caput head. Another form of chapitle, chapter.]
1. ? A chapter; or ? a capital city.
| 1340 Ayenb. 43 Þe zenne of ham þet..purchaceþ þe stryfs and þe werres in cites oþer ine capiteles, oþer betuene þe heȝe men. |
2. A chapter of a book (or the like).
| 1340 Ayenb. 1 Þise byeþ þe capiteles of þe boc uolȝinde. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 134 As telliþ þe Gospel of Joon in þe same capitle. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas i. x. (1554) 20 b, In this Capitle [ed. 1558 chapitle] [Bochas] gan direct his stile To write the story. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 61 Capytle, or chapytle, or captur, capitulum. |
3. A summary.
| 1382 Wyclif Hebr. viii. 1 Forsothe a capitle vpon tho thingis that ben seid. 1388 Ibid. (Gloss) A capitil, that is a schort comprehending of many thingis. |