▪ I. † wal poet. Obs.
Forms: 1 wæl, 3 wæl(e, wal(e, wel.
[OE. wæl neut. = OS. wal- in waldâd murderous deed, OHG. wal neut., walu- (MHG. wal neut., masc., wale ? masc.), ON. val-r masc. (whence valkyrja Valkyrie):—OTeut. *walo- (? *walu-), perh. cogn. w. L. volnus, vulnus wound.]
Death, slaughter. (In OE. also collect. the slain; rarely a slain person.)
| c 900 Bæda's Hist. iv. xv. (1890) 306 Mid grimme wæle & heriᵹe. c 1205 Lay. 404 Þar aros wale & win. Ibid. 4111 Þat wæl wes þe more. |
b. Comb.: wal-kemp, a warrior; wal-slaught, deadly battle; wal-spear, a battle-spear.
| c 1205 Lay. 565 Antigonus..mid his *wæl-kempen swenden toward Brutun. |
| ? a 900 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 839 Her wæs micel *wælsliht on Lundenne, and on Cwantawic, and on Hrofesceastre. c 1205 Lay. 1369 Þa Grickes hit biwnnan mid heora wæl slahte. |
| a 1000 Byrhtnoth 322 (Gr.) Oft he gar forlet, *wælspere windan on þa wicingas. c 1205 Lay. 28577 Arður [wes] forwunded mid wal-spere brade. |
▪ II. wal
see wale, wall, waw, well.