Obs. Forms: α. 1 fǽtels, fétels, Orm. fetless, south. vetles, 3 fet(e)les. β. north. dial. 3–4 fetel, -il. [OE. fǽtels str. masc., perh. related by ablaut to fæt, FAT sb., VAT. In northern ME. the final s disappeared, as in mod. burial from buriels.] A vessel or receptacle; a bag, cask, sack. In religious lang. used fig. = ‘vessel.’

1

  α.  c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 21. Tweȝen fætels full ealað oððe wæteres.

2

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 16. Do … on swylc fætels swylc ðu wille.

3

c. 1200.  Ormin, 14450.

        Swa summ þe firrste fetless wass
  Brerdfull off waterr filledd.

4

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 164. Þis bruchele uetles, þet is wummone vleschs.

5

a. 1225.  Juliana, 18. Ower mix mawmex þat beoð þes feondes fetles.

6

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 561. Ðat arche was a feteles good.

7

c. 1300.  St. Margarete, 207. He … in a strong vetles ous broȝte: & in a put ous caste.

8

  β.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 20932 (Cott.). Of chesing fetil wroght he was.

9

c. 1325.  English Metrical Homilies, 140.

        Bot len me sum fetel tharto,
Quarin I mai thin almous do.

10

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 21623 (Edin.).

        A fetil that it war noȝte tinte [was]
Set undir that licur for to hinte.

11