sb. (a.) Forms: 1 bríd-ealo, -ealu, 2–6 brydale, bridale, 3, 7– bridal. Also (3 bridel), 3–4 (s.w.) brudale(ü), 3–7 bridall, 4 bruydale (bruytale, bridhale), 4–5 (Kent) bredale, 5 bredeale, 6 brydall, brideall, brydeale, brideale, (7 bride hall). [OE. brýd-ealo (infl. -ealoð), lit. ‘wedding ale,’ ‘wedding banquet or conviviality’: see BRIDE sb. 5 (in comb.), and ALE. The analytical form, with stress (primary or secondary) on -ale, never died out, was very common c. 1600, and is still used as a historical or antiquarian term: see BRIDE-ALE. On the other hand the individualized bri·dal, with the stress and sense of ale quite suppressed, occurs before 1300, and remains as the living word.]
1. A wedding feast or festival; a wedding.
(The sense ‘wedding feast’ is distinct in early usage; by the time of Wyclif the word was often extended to include the whole proceedings of the wedding or marriage, in which use it was often made plural (cf. L. nuptiæ, sponsalia, F. noces, ME. sposailes, mod. nuptials); it is now chiefly poetic, except when used attributively (see 2).
1075–6. O. E. Chron. (Worcester MS.). Þær wæs þæt bryd ealo [Laud MS. eala] þæt wæs maneʓra manna bealo. Ibid. (Laud MS.). Æt þam bryd ealoð [Worcester MS. brydlope] æt Norðwic.
c. 1200. Ormin, 14002. I þe land o Galile Wass an bridale ȝarrkedd.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13363. Bridall [v.r. bridel, bridale] was þar broiden an.
1340. Ayenb., 233. Þe wyse maydines … yeden in mid þe bredgome to þe bredale.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 36. Alle þis Riche … weoren bede to þe Bruyt-ale [v.r. in B., C., bre-, bri-, bru-, bruy-, brydale].
1382. Wyclif, Song of Sol., Argt. 73. The bridalis of Crist and of the Chirche.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 301. Þe day was sette of hire bredeale.
1552. Huloet, Brydeale, nuptus.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 12. It is, as telth vs this olde tale, Meete, that a man be at his owne brydale.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 20. A solem brydeale of a proper coople.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 140. The pompe of Bridealls.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iv. 150. Such obseruancie As fits the Bridall.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 89. Let us a’ to the bridal, For there will be lilting there.
1808. Scott, Lochinvar, iii. O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 231. I … Will clothe her for her bridals like the sun.
fig. 1632. G. Herbert, Temple, Vertue, i. Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The bridall of the earth and skie.
2. Since 1600, mostly used attributively, by association with adjectives (of Lat. origin) in -al, as nuptial, natal, mortal, etc. Most of the earlier attributive lises or combinations of BRIDE also reappear with bridal, as bridal bed, bowl, cake, chamber, house, knot, ring, etc., and many of more modern character, as bridal cheer, day, dinner, dress, favo(u)r, morn, veil, wreath, etc., etc., where wedding may always be substituted. These are sometimes unnecessarily hyphened.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 50. Brydale howse, nuptorium.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. ii. 3. Where and when her bridale cheare Should be solemniz’d. Ibid., Prothal., 17. Adornd with dainty gemmes … Against the brydale day.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 221. Gentlemen, forward to the bridall dinner. Ibid., IV. i. 181. I will bring thee to thy Bridall chamber.
c. 1600. Lyrics for Lutenists (Collier), 3. Shee can … trimme with plums a bridall cake.
1611. L. Barry, Ram Alley, IV. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, X. 338. Quaffing out our bridal bowl.
1714. Young, Force Relig., I. 85. Now on the bridal-bed his eyes were cast.
1717. Pope, Eloisa, 219. For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring.
1800. Mar. Edgeworth, Belinda, xix. Lady Anne Percival came … with a bridal favour in her hand.
1810. Southey, Thalaba, VII. xxxi. Who comes from the bridal chamber?
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., Concl. 28. But where is she, the bridal flower … She enters, glowing like the moon Of Eden on its bridal bower.
1874. Black, Pr. Thule, 9. Marching at the head of a bridal procession.
b. Sometimes more distinctively adjective, in construction or in sense: = Of or pertaining to a bride, worn by a bride (e.g., bridal bouquet, veil, wreath); bride-like.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), II. 140. With a simpering altogether bridal.
1809. J. Barlow, Columb., III. 501. Nor shalt thou e’er be told, my bridal fair.
1865. Miss Muloch, Chr. Mistake, 108. She stood, all in her fine garments, a fair, white, bridal-like vision.
† 3. (ellipt.) pl. rare. = BRIDALLER.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 225 (1810), 239. Apparell’d in their best array, As bridals use upon their nuptial day.
