sb. Also 5 Sc. wersikill, 5–6 versycle, 6 versickil. [ad. L. versicul-us VERSICULUS. Cf. VERSICULE.]
1. Liturg. One of a series of short sentences, usually taken from the Psalms and of a precatory nature, said or sung antiphonally in divine service; spec. one said by the officiant and followed by the response of the congregation or people; often collect. pl., a set of these with their accompanying responses.
a. 1380. St. Paula, 191, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 7. Þeos versicles heo seide and bad.
1425. in Entick, London (1766), IV. 354. This psalm, de profundis, with the versicles and Orissons that longeth thereto.
1486. Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905), 16. To go on procession … syngyng a Respond…; that done, a versicle with the colet of Sȝ Stephen.
1579. W. Fulke, Ref. Rastel, 743. The very sound and sense of the … Respondes, and Versicles, declare whence they proceeded.
1625. Gonsalvio’s Sp. Inquis., 97. The Psalme being ended.., the chiefe Inquisitour singeth a sort of Versicles: and the whole Quier answereth them with their Responses.
1631. Brathwaite, Whimzies, Zealous Brother, 120. Anthems and versicles he holds papisticall.
1710. Wheatly, Bk. Com. Prayer, ii. § 21. 50. Of the Versicles before the Lord’s Prayer.
1721. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VIII. 295. The Ordinary Discipline is to last the time of a Miserere, with the Versicle Christus factus est, and the prayer Respice quæsumus.
1795. Mason, Ch. Mus., II. 154. The unaccompanied Chaunt, used in the versicles and responses.
1832. W. Palmer, Orig. Liturg., I. 219. From this it appears, that these versicles were not, perhaps, originally repeated in church, but at home, as a preparation for divine service.
1893. W. Walker, Three Churchmen, 175. When he repeated the versicle ‘Lord save this woman, Thy servant!’ the clerk responded [etc.].
b. The sign (V, V’, [symbol], or [symbol]) with which these are noted or indicated in prayer-books, etc.
1888. Jacobi, Printers’ Voc., 151.
2. A little verse, in various senses of that term: † a. A short clause or sentence; = VERSE sb.1 3.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 231/1. A boke … in whiche was wreton thys versycle In euerlastyng memorye shal be my rightful hoostesse.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 198. Proceed in like manner, with the titles, attributes, and workes of God. Doe it for thy name, Doe it for thy goodnesse,… &c. in seuerall versicles.
1668. Hale, Rolle’s Abridem., Pref. 5. In Justinians time there were an incredible number of Versicles and Volumes of their Laws.
c. 1710. Burnet, Autobiog., II. (1902), 507. The condemnatory versicles in Athanasius’ Creed.
1721. R. Keith, trans. T. à Kempis, Vall. Lilies, vi. 13. Expound me this Word which thou spakest, open the Sense of this Versicle for the Comfort of thy Servant.
b. † A verse of the Psalms or the Bible (obs.); now spec., one of the subdivisions of a Hebrew verse.
1624. Bp. Hall, Art Medit. (1627), 36. Wee shall lift vp our heart and voice to God in singing some versicle of Dauids diuine psalmes.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., I. 82. That versicle of Psal. 119, ‘Righteous art thou, O Lord, and right are thy Judgements.’
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1822), II. I. 204. The psalms were in number fifteen,… made in imitation of David’s Psalms; being digested into versicles.
1737. Challoner, Cath. Chr. Instructed (1753), 100. Then wiping the Chalice,… he goes to the Book, and reads a Versicle of the holy Scripture, called the Communion.
1783. Blair, Lect., xli. II. 389. When … one band began the Hymn thus: ‘The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice,’ the chorus … took up the corresponding versicle.
1873. Speaker’s Commentary, IV. 483/2. The second clause of the first versicle of this verse.
c. A short or single metrical line; a little verse.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 128. On[e] pore simple versicle Had bene too mutch for such an article.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. v. (Arb.), 26. The American … and the very Canniball, do sing and also say, their highest and holiest matters in certaine riming versicles and not in prose.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, v. 89. It behoueth him … to be mindfull of that prouerbiall versicle: Caseus est sanus, quem dat auara manus.
1637. Gillespie, Eng. Pop. Cerem., IV. iii. 7. The principall circumstances … are comprehended in this versicle: Quis, Quid, Vbi, Quibus auxiliis, Cur, Quomodo, Quando.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., Ep. Ded. 8. According to that old Versicle Frangit & attollit vires in Milite causa.
1817. Byron, Lett. to Moore, 25 March. Here are some versicles.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis (1850), II. 257. To these pretty little compositions Mr. Pen replied … with points of wit, nay, with pretty little verses very likely, in reply to the versicles of the Muse of ‘Mes Larmes.’
1893. McCarthy, Red Diamonds, III. 143. She was fond of writing versicles and setting them to music.
† d. Without article. Obs.–1
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. v. (Arb.), 26. How the wilde and sauage people vsed a naturall Poesie in versicle and rime as our vulgar is.
Hence † Versicle v. intr. (with it), to sing versicles. Obs.–1
1550. Bale, Apol., 131 b. I knowe theyr progresse was great, as ye were wont to versycle it on theyr daies.
