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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fele, Feil(l, v. Also: feile, feyle. [ME. feele, fele(n, OE. félan.]

1. tr. To apprehend by bodily sensation.(a) (a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 857.
For the panys thai can fele God has thame rewardit wele Ib. xlv. 223.
Scho vnhurt, … feland na sare c1420 Wynt. v. 3693.
We … that felys the infyrmyte Off brukyll fleysch 1456 Hay II. 124/8.
Gif it behapnis thé to fele ony dolour in thy stomak 1562-3 Winȝet II. 65/18.
Quhen ony man first felis the softnes of the wowl a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 59.
The quhippis of the lord felinge Becaus we daylie brak his law(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 630.
Petir west wele That he of dede the payne suld eile c1475 Wall. v. 760.
Now thow sall feyll how I oys to lat blude 1513 Doug. xiii. iv. 82.
The snaill … Fleand the byrnand heit that scho doith feill 1567 Sat. P. iii. 183.
Quhill [I] … feill deithis dartis dolorus 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 133.
He schew thy mark … in thy crag. and ane prein being input therin, thow culd nocht feill the sameabsol. 1375 Barb. xi. 655.
He sall hym help so weill, That of his fayis sum sall feill 1456 Hay II. 157/10.
Man has … saule … sentitive that he felis by c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1021.
Treddyng thy heid, that thow may feill(b) 1375 Barb. iii. 140.
He rouschit doun … As he that stound feld off dede Ib. xvi. 628.
Thai that … feld so sair sowing a1400 Leg. S. vii. 298.
A ferly sterynge sone feld thai Ib. xxxix. 247.
He feld paynis … That gert hyme roydly rare c1420 Wynt. iii. 950.
The smyth wyth-in, quhen he felde hete, … behowyde than for to rare c1475 Wall. xi. 1402.
Feyll Sotheroun said, at Wallace feld na sayr a1500 Rauf C. 97.
So fell ane wedder feld I neuer a1500 Doug. K. Hart 659.
Quha sittis hate and feld nevir cauld

b. To apprehend by the sense of smell. Also const. of. 1375 Barb. vi. 499.
Fra he mycht anys feill The kyngis sent … He vald change it for na thyng a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 173.
Betyre odire I cane neuir fele c1420 Wynt. i. 729.
And fele thai ony stynk wythout Thai de tharof a1500 Henr. Fab. 2022.
The fox the flewer of the fresche hering feilis a1500 Seven S. 726.
Of ane herbe so medicinale Ypocras said he feld c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6155.
Thay sall feill sic ane smell 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 72 b.
The smell of the auld butter wes feld in hir hous

2. To apprehend mentally.(a) (a) 1375 Barb. ii. 506.
Threldome, that men gert thaim fele a1400 Leg. S. i. 544.
Quhen that Symon that can fele, That sa in dante had wes he 1409 Exch. R. IV. p. ccx.
The party feland him engrefit sal ask the thingis to be refourmit c1460 Wisd. Sol. 714.
Quha sa dois biding, felis na ill eftire c1475 Wall. xi. 1463.
My spreyt felis na termys asperans 1492 Myll Spect. 277/2.
Quhen thow felis thi self our stark & wald be feblit thairof(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1102.
To knaw the cours of thi ȝouthede, … As thow has feld, and mar sal feild [= feel it] c1475 Wall. iv. 366.
Trew men of peas may ay sum frendschipe feill Ib. v. 514.
He is on lyff, that sall our natioune feill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiv. 14.
Wald man considdir in mynd richt weill, … His fall les panefull he suld feill 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9216.
Sen … I feill ȝow dispairit in ane part 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 350.
Alaik, I feill ȝow to thame bound and thrall 1622-6 Bisset I. 109/10.
That … the subiectis of oure realme may feill the sweit fruittis of oure provident directionisabsol. c1420 Ratis R. 610.
Thocht sche be ȝongest, … Scho is maist tendire for to feill(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 4701.
Thare wes a clerk … That feld hym grevyd wrangwsly Be hys byschape Ib. viii. 1100.
Bethok feld hyr rycht hard set ?1438 Alex. ii. 4477.
Quhen Porrus feld his steid was deid c1475 Wall. vi. 289.
The queyne feld weill how that his purpos was 1513 Doug. i. xii. 10.
Quharof my self a gret part bayr and feld [: beheld] Ib. ii. vii. 31.
He felt hym self happynnyt amyd his foyn

3. To make trial of; to seek to know. 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 113.
To sey and feill thair minds to thaim 1531 Bell. Boece II. 229.
Sum of thame thocht best to feil the mindis of the noblis 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 361.
To feill his mynd vpoun quhat conditiouns he will do the samyn