† wifle Obs.
Also 4 wefle, 4–5 wyfle, 5 wyfele.
[OE. wifel, f. OTeut. stem wiƀ- (cf. ON. vifr sword):—Indo-eur. wip- to wave, swing, shake (cf. Skr. v{iacu}p switch, rod, shaft of an arrow): see waive v.2
Parallels to the formation with the suffix -il- are found in MDu., MLG. weifelen to sway, wobble, waver, early mod.G. weibeln, OHG. weibil (MHG. weibel) apparitor, summoner, ON. vifl cudgel, bat.]
A dart, javelin, spear; a battle-axe.
| c 1000 Gloss. in Haupt's Zeitschrift IX. 432 Spiculo, gare vel wifele. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4383 Wyþ wyfles strike, wyþ axes hewe. c 1365 in Hudson & Tingey Rec. Norwich (1906) I. 396 Roger servant of William de{ddd}sword, coutel, wefle. c 1400 Sowdone 2650 With Wifles, Fauchons, Gauylokes and Dartes. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 526/2 Wyfle, wepene.., bipennis. 1449 Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 24 That she shuld make here men to leue here wyfeles and here jackes. c 1460 Invent. Sir J. Fastolfe in Archæologia XXI. 272 Item, j Borespere. Item, vj Wifles. |