Obs. Forms: 2–3 aisille, 2–4 eisil, 3–5 aysel(l, -il, -ylle, (4 aycel, -zell), 4–6 aisel, -il, -ylle, (4 aissil, 5 ascill, ass-, asell(e), 4–7 eisel(l, -ill, eysell(e, -seel, -sil, -syl, -zell, 5 esylle, -zyl, (4 heysyl, 6 esile). [a. OF. aisil, aissil:—late L. *acētillum, dim. of acētum vinegar.] Vinegar.
c. 1160. Hatton Gosp., Mark xv. 36. Fylde ane spunge mid eisile. Ibid., John xix. 29. Ða stod an fet full aisiles.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 404. Þis eisil … þuruh fulleð mine pine.
a. 1240. Wohunge, in Cott. Hom., 283. Nu beden ha mi leof … aisille.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxviii. 22 [lxix. 21]. In mi thriste with aysile dranke þai me.
138[?]. Antecrist, in Todd, 3 Treat. Wyclif, 133. Crist tasted eysel; and þei nolden non but goode wynes.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., VIII. 134. In this moone is made Aisel squillyne.
c. 1450. Myrc, 1884. Loke thy wyn be not eysel.
1557. Primer, XV Oos F iv. I beseche thee for the bitternesse of the Aisell and Galle.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. i. 299. Woo’t drinke vp Esile, eate a Crocodile?
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vi. 97. Eisell, or the vinegar which is made of Cyder, is also a good sauce.
1634. Harington, Salerne Regim., 67. Summer-sauce should be verjuyce, eyzell or vinegar.
