▪ I. † ˈamel, n. Obs.
Forms: 4 aumayl, 5 amall, 5–7 amell(e, 6–7 ammel, ammell, 6–8 amel. Also, 6 esmayle, anmayle.
[a. AFr. *amail, *amal (see a- prefix 9), OFr. esmal, esmail, cogn. w. Pr. esmalt, esmaut, Sp. and Pg. esmalte, It. smalto, med.L. smaltum; according to Diez, f. Teut. *smaltjan, OHG. *smalzian, smelzan, OE. smęltan, to smelt; OFr. esmail repr. Teut. smalti. (The au- in early instance is not accounted for: see it also in enamel.) Now superseded by the compound en-amel. An (?) interm. anmaile, and a form esmayle from Fr. also occur in 6.]
Enamel.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 236 Grene aumayl on golde lowande bryȝter. c 1460 Launfal 270 An ern ther stod, Of bournede gold..Iflorysched with ryche amall. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas i. iii. (1641) 26/1 The Lillie's snowe, and Pansey's various ammell. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. x. xxxiii, Heav'ns richest diamonds, set on Ammel white. 1683 Pettus Fleta Min. ii. 5 The Lime..being well calcin'd..makes the Amel. 1751 Chambers Cycl., Enamel, popularly Amel. 1819 Pantolog., Amel, the matter with which the variegated works are overlaid. |
b. attrib. and quasi-adj.
| 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. Ind. 199 They have skill also of Amell worke. 1625 W. Lisle Du Bartas i. 34 Gardens of delight Whose ammell beds perfume the skie. |
▪ II. † ˈamel, v. Obs.
For forms see ameled.
[f. amel n.; cf. Fr. esmailler, émailler, AFr. 1363 aymeler.]
To enamel. (Chiefly in pa. pple. ameled.)
| 1530 Palsgr. 425/1, I ammell as a goldesmyth dothe his worke, Jesmaille. |
▪ III. amel
obs. form of amyl, starch, fine flour.