v. Obs.; also 4–5 amerveill(e, -vail(e, 5 -veyl(le, -vel, amarvail(e, -vel, admerveyll(e, -vayll(e, 5–6 amervayl(le. [a. OFr. amerveillie-r, earlier émerveillier, esmerveillier, to strike with wonder, f. es-:—L. ex-, out, utterly + merveiller to surprise, f. merveille wonder, marvel:—L. mirābilia. The prefix a- was subseq. erroneously refashioned as ad- in MFr., which was also introduced into Eng. by Caxton: see ADMERVEYLLE and AD-.] To strike or fill with wonder; almost always in the passive, To be surprised, astonished.
c. 1330. Sire Degarré, 1046. The Fader amerueiled wes Whi his swerd was point les.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3857. Many were ameruailed of here douȝti dedes.
c. 1400. Epiph. (Turnb., 1843), 1694. He was amerveld of that syght.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. xv. (1554), 31 a. As he that was amerueyled in his thought.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., II. xxxvii. 392. He was amarvailede of her fairenesse.
1470. Harding, Chron., lxxvi. The knightes … Amarueled were of it doutelesse.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 218/1. Thenne were they admerueylled of the beaute of the reson.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 100. Arthur … mette wyth much people … whereof he was gretly ameruayled.
