† ˈfetles Obs.
Forms: α. 1 fǽtels, fétels, Orm. fetless, south. vetles, 3 fet(e)les. β. north. dial. 3–4 fetel, -il.
[OE. fǽtels str. masc., perh. related by ablaut to fæt, fat n., vat. In northern ME. the final s disappeared, as in mod. burial from buriels.]
A vessel or receptacle; a bag, cask, sack. In religious lang. used fig. = ‘vessel’.
| α c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §21 Tweᵹen fætels full ealað oððe wæteres. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 16 Do..on swylc fætels swylc ðu wille. c 1200 Ormin 14450 Þe firrste fetless wass Brerdfull off waterr filledd. a 1225 Ancr. R. 164 Þis bruchele uetles, þet is wummone vleschs. a 1225 Juliana 18 Ower mix mawmex þat beoð þes feondes fetles. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 561 Ðat arche was a feteles good. c 1300 St. Margarete 207 He..in a strong vetles ous broȝte: & in a put ous caste. |
| β a 1300 Cursor M. 20932 (Cott.) Of chesing fetil wroght he was. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 140 Len me sum fetel tharto, Quarin I mai thin almous do. c 1340 Cursor M. 21623 (Edin.) A fetil that it war noȝte tinte [was] set vndir that licur for to hinte. |