▪ I. † mele, n. Obs.
[var. of male n.1; but the origin of the form is obscure: cf. It. melo, Gr. µῆλον.]
An apple; an apple-tree.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 891 The meles round, ycald orbiculer [L. mala rotunda], Withowton care a yer may keped be. Ibid. iv. 517 In hymsylf graffe hym in ffeueryere, In mele also; ek graffe hym in the pere [L. inseritur..in se et in pyro et in malo]. |
▪ II. † mele, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 mǽlan, 3 Ormin mælenn, 3–4 meile, (4 meille, 5 meill), 3–5 mele, (3 meale).
[OE. mǽlan = ON. mǽla (Da. mæle):—*mǣljan, f. OE. mǽl, ON. mál speech: see mail n.2]
intr. and trans. To speak, tell.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxxiv. 7 Hwæt me haliᵹ God, on minum mod-sefan, mælan wille. c 1200 Ormin 2919 Off all þatt tatt he wile don & tatt he wile mælenn. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1245 Hwil þis eadi meiden motede & mealde þis & muchele mare. a 1300 Cursor M. 27214 And þar him-self wit word he meild bath of his youthed and his eild. c 1350 Will. Palerne 621 What man so ich mete wiþ or mele wiþ speche. c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 1063 Off king Eduuard ȝeit mar furth will I meill. |
Hence † meling vbl. n., talking, conversation.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 760 Ȝif meliors wiþ hire maydenes in meling þere sete. |
▪ III. mele
see meal, medle, mell.