chancel
(ˈtʃɑːnsəl, -æ-)
Forms: 4 chaunsel, Sc. chancell, -sell, chancer, -ser, 4–7 chauncell, 5–6 chauncel, 6 chauncelle, chawnsell, 7 chancell, 6– chancel.
[a. OF. chancel:—late L. cancellus in same sense, f. L. cancelli bars of lattice-work: the plural name being extended from the grating or screen of lattice-work to the place which it enclosed, and then made singular. Mod.F. has chanceau; but usually cancel, assimilated to the Latin name retained in ecclesiastical use.]
1. ‘Used to denote a separate division of the ancient basilica, latticed off to separate the judges and council from the audience part of the place’ (Gwilt Encycl. Archit.).
[This is the original of the chancel in a church; but the sense hardly occurs in English.]
2. ‘The eastern part of a church, appropriated to the use of those who officiate in the performance of the services’ (Parker Gloss. Archit.), and separated from the other parts by a screen, railing, etc.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8806 Þe lewede man holy cherche wyl forbede To staunde yn þe chaunsel whyl men rede. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 356 Thair chancer [v.r. chansell] full sturdely Thai held. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 99/3 Poul entred..within the chauncell and put hym to prayer. 1546 Langley Pol. Verg. de Invent. v. viii. 109 b, The vpper parte of the Church called the Chancel or Quire. 1648 Lightfoot Glean. Ex. 38 It consisted of three parts..as our Churches doe, of the Chancell, Church, and the Churchyard. 1697 Bp. of Lincoln Charge in Southey Comm.-Pl. Bk. Ser. ii. (1849) 68 A part of the church..prepared for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, which we call the Chancel. 1818 Cruise Digest III. 44 A clerk had given a bond to the patron..to keep the rectory house and chancel in repair. 1870 F. Wilson Ch. Lindisf. 16 Long chancels were then in great esteem. |
† 3. transf. Used of other buildings, as the temple at Jerusalem, heathen temples, etc. Obs.
| c 1400 Test. Love ii. (1560) 282/2 Poore chauncell, open holes in every side: beddes of silke with tapites going all about his chambre. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. (1877) 233 (D.) The priest went into the priue chauncell, and..came forth againe, and aunswered that Jupiter did..make him a graunt of his boune. 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 340 Holie of holies..or the chauncell of the temple. 1649 Lovelace Poems 112 Enter the dismall chancell of this roome. |
4. Comb., as chancel-arch, chancel-building vbl. n., chancel-casement, chancel-screen, chancel-steps, chancel-window; chancel-table, a communion-table.
| 1832 Tennyson May Queen, New-Year's Eve vi, Upon the chancel-casement, and upon that grave of mine. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. (1873) 116 Chancel-screen and Altar stair. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Jrnls. II. 18 Many a great chancel-window. 1863 Sir G. Scott Glean. Westm. Ab. 14 The pier of the chancel-arch. 1882 Athenæum 5 Aug. 183/3 Wholesale ‘restorations’ (the leading object of many of which is chancel-building). |