† ˈnightertale Obs. Chiefly north. and Sc.
Forms: 4 naghter-, naȝtter-; niht(t)er-, nither-, nyther-, niȝt(t)er-, 4–5 nyȝter-, (4 -tur), 5 nyght(t)er-, Sc. nichtir-, nychter-, (-tyr-), 4–6 nighter-, (5 -tir-); also 4–5 -tall(e, 5 (7) -taile, -tayl(l)e.
[Prob. of Scand. origin, and perh. an alteration of the synonymous ON. *nahtar-, later náttarþel (f. náttar gen. of nátt night + þel groundwork, stuff, substance, heart, bottom), by substitution of the more familiar tale reckoning, count, for the original second element of the compound.]
Night-time, the night. Only in phrases by, on, upon, a, with, of, (the) nightertale, by night, during the night.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2991 Vp ras þe king, on nighter tale. Ibid. 11596 Wit naghtertale he went o tun. c 1300 Havelok 2025 Hwo mithe so mani stonde ageyn, Bi nither tale, knith or swein? c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 97 By nightertale He sleep namore than dooth a nightingale. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 3849 By nyghtertale he was slayn by kyng darie. 1455 Anc. Cal. Rec. Dublin (1889) 287 Hyt was ordeynyt that no maner beger..walke by nyghtertall abegyn. 1497 North Riding Rec. (1894) 189 [He] with Force and armz of the nyghtertall sent hys..seruantis to the Castell. 1530 Palsgr. 803 A nyghtertale, de nuyct. 16.. in Calthrop Reports (1670) 131 That yee do provide..that the Lanthornes with Light by Nightertaile in old manner accustomed be hanged forth. |