† ˈsembly Obs.
Forms: 3–6 semble, 4–5 semblé, semblee, 6 sembla, semblay, semely, semlay, semle, semly, 5–6 semblie, 6 samble, semblye, 6, 8 sembly.
[Aphetic form of assembly. (AF. had semblé, semblée.)]
1. A gathering of people; an assembly. to do sembly, to make sembly, to meet, to be present at an assembly.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6408 Moyses þan cald sir iosue, And mad him maister o þat semble. Ibid. 14489 Wit þis þai mad a gret semble. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 380 In the stour sa hardyly He ruschyt, that all the semble schuk. 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 31 Qwo-so be somouned to don semble er to congregacioun. c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxxii, The semble, þat men clepeth gaderynge, shulde be maked in þis manere. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) Prol. 3 For a semblee of Peple withouten a Cheventeyn, or a chief Lord, is as a Flock of Scheep withouten a Schepperde. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 63 A fest and a gret semble of ladies and gentilwomen. c 1470 Henry Wallace ii. 415 A blyth semblay was at his lychtyn doun. a 1542 Wyatt Penit. Ps. cii. 72 But to this samble running in the way, My strength failed to reach it at the full. 1562 in Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1891) II. 25 Yf thenheritors..do not show sufficient title..this side the next quarter sembly after Cristenmas. 1715 Leoni Palladio's Archit. (1742) II. 60 A Council of..Fathers; whose sembly was called the Senate. |
2. Suite, retinue.
| 14.. Sir Beues 3963/23 (MS. E.) Now wendiþ sere B. wiþ hys semble To Hampmyngforde, þat goode cyte. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 105 To come to Mountanar that feir Citie, And eche a Prince bring his semble. |
3. Hostile meeting, conflict; = assembly 3.
| a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 797 Sa sare was þe semble þire seggis be-twene. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 92 At a semle þat segge in certayne was slayne. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 117 He that departis fra the ost in the tyme of semble, that is feid and wrytyn. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 454 Ane scharpar sembla ȝit wes thair neuer sene. |
4. attrib., as sembly-house.
| c 1400 Wyclif's Bible Prol. I. 51 The iij. orrible synne is symonie, and forswering in the semble hous. 1447 Epist. Acad. Oxon. (O.H.S.) I. 260 In a tym of a convocation in our semble house. |