† lorel, n. and a. Obs.
Also 4–6 -elle, 4–7 -ell, 6–7 lorrel(l.
[ME. lorel, f. loren, pa. pple. of leese v., as losel from the variant losen.]
A. n. A worthless person, rogue, blackguard; = losel. In 16th c. often opposed to lord.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. viii. 123 ‘Lewede lorel!’ quod he, ‘luite lokestou on the bible’. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. iv. 13 (Camb. MS.), I se þat euery lorel shapith hym to fynde owt newe fraudes. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 191 Herefore ben many proude & lecherous lorelis founden & dowid wiþ temperal & worldly lordischipis. c 1440 Gesta Rom. x. 28 (Harl. MS.) If þou be so bold to telle of me, I shall breke þine hed; what lorell art thou! 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) II. 320 To lorellys often the lorde moste lowt. 1522 More De quat. Noviss. Wks. 84/1 While the lorel playth the lord in a stage playe. a 1529 Skelton Agst. Garnesche iii. 14, I am laureate, I am no lorelle. 1530 Palsgr. 659, I play the lorell or the loyterer. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Dk. York xx. 61 b, That cruell Clifford, lord, nay Lorell wilde. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 93 Thou speakes lyke a lewde lorrell. 1647 G. W. Pluto's Progr. Gt. Brit. 15 Thou talk'st like a Lorrell. |
b. Cock Lorel. The name of the owner and captain of the boat containing jovial reprobates of all trades, in a humorous and sarcastic poem Cocke Lorelles Bote (printed by Wynkyn de Worde c 1515), partly imitating the Shyp of Folys. Afterwards used allusively with the force of ‘rogue, reprobate’.
| c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. (1843) 4 Here is fyrst, Cocke Lorell the knyght. c 1545 Doctour Double Ale 390 in Hazl. E.P.P. (1866) III. 319. a 1577 Gascoigne Fable of F. Geronimi Wks. (1587) 206 A peece of Cocklorels Musicke..such as I might be ashamed to publish in this company. 1577 Fulke Confut. Purg. 376 Then you shall not neede to rowe in Cockelaurels bote. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 394 This clownish Cocklorrell therefore wandring abroad over hilles and dales. 1621 B. Jonson Gipsies Metam. Wks. 1640 II. 70 Cock-Lorrell would needs have the Devill his guest. |
B. adj. Good-for-nothing; = losel B.
| 1590 Lodge Euphues' Gold. Leg. (1592) E 2, Ah Lorrell lad, what makes thee Herry loue? 1614 J. Davies (Heref.) Eclogue 83 An Heydeguies, Pipt by Tom-piper, or a Lorrel-lad. |
Hence † ˈlorelship, rascality, lewdness.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 156 Þei wasten pore mennus liflode in hordom & glotonye & lernen lorelschipe. |