Forms: 3–5 aparail, 4–5 ap- or app-araill(e, -ayll(e, 4–6 -ail(e, -ayl(e, -ale, -ell, 5 apareylle, -elle, appayraille, 5 apparall, 6 apperell, 5– apparel. Aphet. 5 pareylle, 6 -el, 7 parrell. [a. OFr. aparail, apareil (mod.Fr. appareil), f. vb. apareiller: see APPAREL v.]
† 1. abstr. The work of fitly preparing for anything, preparation, array, Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems, 40. Soone was dihte, Al that wedlok askethe … Al was redy to plesaunt apparailes.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 246/4. That yere was halowed … with right grete appareylle of games. Ibid. (1485), Paris & V., 14. The grete apparaylle of thys feste.
† 2. concr. Things provided for any purpose, and employed in its performance; material, requisites, apparatus. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 121. Þe Londreis herd it telle, & ȝared þam fulle welle, With gode aparaile of alle þat þei mot getr.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, VII. ix. (1554), 174. Rosted her chyld whan vitayle dyd fayle; She had of store, none other apparayle.
1477. Caxton, Dictes, 147. Socrates sayde That women ben thapparaylles to cacche men.
1631. Markham, Way to Wealth, III. II. iv. (1668), 115. Give it [the wine] aparel … the Aparel is this: Take the yelks of ten Eggs, [etc.].
1725. trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 17th C., I. v. 63. The Apparel of the Mass … the Habits, the Vessels, and other Ornaments … made use of in the Celebration of it.
† 3. The furniture and appendages of a house, fortress, gun, etc. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XI. 118. Apparall of chalmyr and hall. Ibid., XVII. 293. Schot and othir apparale.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 448. Þis chapelle … wt alle þe pareylle þt longede þerto.
1503. Act 19 Hen. VII., iv. § 3. To forfett the same Crosebowe with all the apparell therto belongyng.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Kings vii. 48. All the apperell [Wyclif & 1611 vessels] that belonged vnto the house of the Lorde.
4. The outfit or rigging of a ship. arch.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 154. Fiue oþer galeis with alle þer apparaile.
1575–6. Act 18 Eliz., ix. § 2. The said Shippes or Vessells with all theyr Apparell and Furnyture.
1709. Lond. Gaz., mmmmdlxxix/4. The Ship Margaret … her Tackle, Apparel and Furniture.
1819. Wordsw., Waggoner, II. 161. Back to her place the ship he led; Wheeled her back in full apparel.
1882. Charter-party. What she [the vessel] can reasonably stow … over and above her Tackle, Apparel, Provisions, and Furniture.
5. Personal outfit or attire († a. military; b. ordinary); clothing generally, raiment, dress. arch.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 54. Fourscore armed Knyghtes, in suilk apparaille dight, Þat so riche armes was neuer sene with sight.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 111. Was no pride on his apparail ne pouert noþer.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 575. Semyde by hir apparayle She was not wont to gret travayle.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, 609. One of her apareyles to put on hir.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, IV. 337. A shining parel … of Tirian purple.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 72. Costly thy habit … rich, not gawdie: For the Apparell oft proclaimes the man.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 302, ¶ 12. Neglect of Apparel, even among the most intimate Friends, does insensibly lessen their Regards to each other.
1823. Lamb, Elia, II. xix. (1865), 368. I am ill at describing female apparel.
1883. Standard, 10 Nov., 8/5, Advt. Piece Goods, Apparel, &c.—For Sale by Auction.
b. fig. ‘Attire.’ arch.
1610. E. Bolton, in Shaks. C. Praise, 91. Style (the apparell of matter).
1683. trans. Erasm. Moriæ Enc., 2. Nature forthwith changes her apparrel.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 74, ¶ 2. The rude Stile and evil Apparel of this antiquated Song.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. ix. The Thirty-Nine Articles themselves are articles of wearing-apparel (for the Religious Idea).
1881. N. T. (Revised), 1 Pet. iii. 4. The incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit.
c. as hunting term (see quot.). Obs.
1575. Turberv., Venerie, 128. At his sides … a thinne kinde of redde fleshe which hunters call the apparel of an hart.
† 6. Appearance, aspect. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 278. As in apparaille and in porte proud amonges þe peple.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. iv. 130. How moche the ferther she [the mone] is fro the sonne so moche the more we see of her apparayl.
1526. Tindale, Phil. ii. 8. Was found in his aparell [Wyclif abite, 1611 fashion] as a man.
† 7. Ornament, decoration, embellishment. Obs.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 601. Þe apparayl of þe payttrure … acorded with þe arsounez.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3224. Þat was perles a-parrayl.
c. 1400. Rowland & Otuel, 413. Ane helme of riche entayle, Of precyouse stanes the appayrayle.
b. esp. Ornamental embroidery on certain ecclesiastical vestments. revived.
1485. Churchw. Acc. St. Mary Hill (1797), 112. To Thomas Pate browderer—for his workmanship upon it and the appareyle belonging thereto—10d.
1844. Pugin, Gloss. Eccl. Orn., 5. The Albe … should be made … with apparells … worked in silk and gold, embroidered with ornaments.
1849. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, I. v. 438. Apparels were … stitched on to the upper part of the amice, like a collar to it.
