Obs. Forms: 4 entaille, 4–7 entaile, -yle, (4 Sc. eyntayill, 5 entaylle, -eyle). [a. OF. entaille fem., n. of action f. entailler ENTAIL v.1; cf. Pr. entalh, OSp. entalle, Pg. entalho, It. intaglio masc., of similar meaning.]
I. Cutting, carving; pattern or shape.
1. Ornamental carving; sculpture. Also concr.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4671. A schryne, Of entaile riche and fyne.
c. 1400. Rowland & O., 412. Ane helme of riche entayle, Of precyouse stanes the appayrayle.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1650. Caruen in Cristall by crafte of Entaile.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. vi. A ryche ymage of sylver … of meruaylous entayle.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 139. Foure condytes meruaylously wrought by subtyll entayle.
concr. c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, II. xv. (1554), 54 b. Nothing seyn of all the whole entaile.
2. transf. ‘Cut,’ fashion of a garment; shape, pattern, outline; figure, stature. Also, guise, semblance.
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 2671. Honge we him in his entaile.
c. 1325. Poems temp. Edw. II. (Percy), lvi. A new entaile have thei i-fend … The raye is turned overthwart.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1081. Aboute hir nekke of gentyl entayle Was shete the riche chevesaile.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, II. xxvii. (1554), 63 a. Among which hilles … Been craggy roches most hidous of entaile.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 32. Another was there, much of his entaile.
3. The phrase of good (rich) entail (sense 1, 2) was app. taken as = ‘of good quality.’ Hence (Persons) of entaile: of ‘quality’ or rank.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 730. A smot him on þe helm an heȝ þat was of god entaille.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 3608. With ix hundreth knightes of good entaile.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (1840), 188. Cytryne of colour, lyke garnettes of entayle.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3273. And yiffe we may wyth spechys spede Wyth trew trowthes of entayle.
II. The keeping accounts by tallies.
c. 1488. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord., 70. He [Chief Pantrer] receivythe the brede of the Sergeaunt of the bake-house by entayle. Ibid., 77. Ale or beer … pourveyede by entayle.
