Forms: 3–6 forel, (5 furel), 5–7 forell(e, 7 forrell, foroll, 9 for(r)el, forrill. [a. OF. forrel, fourrel (Fr. fourreau), dim. f. forre, fuerre case, sheath, etc. (see FUR sb.).]

1

  1.  † a. A sheath (obs.). † b. A case or box (obs.).

2

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15791 (Cott.). O þe forel a suerd he drogh.

3

a. 1430[?].  Wyclif’s Job xx. 25. Out of his shethe, or out of the furel.

4

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lxi. 737. The fruit [of Date tree] … lapped in a certayne long and brode forrell or covering.

5

  c.  A case or covering in which a book or manuscript is kept, or into which it is sewn. Now dial.

6

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XVI. 103.

        And þanne shal he testifye of a trinitee · and take his felawe to witnesse,
What he fond in a forel · of a freres lyuynge.

7

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 171/2. Forelle, to kepe yn a boke, forulus.

8

1519.  Horman, Vulg., 84 b. I hadde leuer haue my boke sowed in a forel: than bounde in bourdis.

9

1523.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., VI. 134. His letters shalbe enclosed in a forel directed to the Treasurer.

10

1825.  J. Jennings, Observ. Dial. West Eng., 38. Forrel, the cover of a book.

11

1893.  Wiltsh. Gloss., Forel, the … cover of a book.

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  2.  A kind of parchment dressed to look like vellum, used for covering books (now only for account books).

13

1549.  (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Colophon. No manner of persone shall sell this present book, unbounde, above the price of two shillynges and two-pence: and bounde in forell for iis. xd.

14

1824.  J. Johnson, Typogr., II. 529. The tympans are covered with vellum, forrels, or parchment.

15

  attrib.  1883.  Kerry’s St. Lawr. Reading, 203. Good paper—forel binding.

16

  3.  A selvedge or border.

17

1691.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2653/4. A Crimson Piece of Spanish Cloth 23 yards long … with a yellow Foroll and a White List. Ibid. (1697), No. 3316/4. Three pieces of Super-fine Black Cloath for Men’s ware, marked with … D. Chance in length in the Forell.

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1774.  Act 14 Geo. III., c. 25. Frauds are frequently committed … by taking off, picking or cutting out the List, Forrel or other Marks of any Piece or Pieces of Cloth, by means whereof the Clothiers sustain great Damage and Loss.

19

1847.  Halliwell, Forrel, the border of a handkerchief. West.

20

1886.  Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., Forrel. The stripe which is woven across the ends of a piece of cloth to show that it is a whole piece.

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