Forms: 4 lable, 46 labelle, 57 labell, 6 labil, 4 label. [a. OF. label (also lablel) ribbon, fillet, file (in Her.); of obscure etymology; by some scholars thought to be of Teut. origin (cf. OHG. lappa: see LAP sb.1). The synonymous OF. lambel, lembel is app. a variant: see LAMBEAU.]
1. A narrow band or strip of linen, cloth, etc.; a fillet, ribbon, tassel; the infula of a mitre.
c. 1320. Sir Beues, 974. King Ermin ȝaf him a scheld gode & sur Wiþ þre eglen of asur, Þe champe of gold ful wel i-diȝt Wiþ fif lables [MS. S. labelles, MS. N. lambels] of seluer briȝt.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 129. I wyll recompense the with a labell, reponam appendice quadam.
1530. Palsgr., 237/1. Labell, hovppe.
1552. Huloet, A labell hanging on each side of a miter, infula. Labelles hanging down on garlands, or crownes, lemnisci.
1564. trans. Jewels Apol. Ch. Eng., P vj b. Peter sytting in his Chaire, with his triple Crowne full of labelles.
1577. trans. Bullingers Decades (1592), 335. Broade beneath and sharpe aboue, in fashion somewhat like to the label of a bishops Miter.
15978. Bp. Hall, Sat., IV. ii. 24. A knit night-cap With two long labels buttond to his chin.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. xv. 79. Persons whose outside seemed to have appropriated religion to the labels of their frontlets.
1872. Shipley, Gloss. Eccl. Terms, 199, s.v. Fillet, The labels of a bishops mitre.
† 2. A small strip of paper or parchment attached to a document by way of supplement to the matter contained therein; hence, a supplementary note, comment, or clause, a codicil. Also fig. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 331. Certis if þise popis bulles shulen be undurstonden wiþ sich a label, þen-ne þei weren not profitable to þe purchasour ne to þe churche. Ibid., Sel. Wks., II. 399. And so sich cursing of popis is tokene of blessing of God. And if þe Chirche were wel enformed of þis sentence, wiþ hise labellis, men shulden not drede feyned cursingis, ne lette for hem to sue Cristis lawe.
1562. Apol. Priv. Masse (1850), 39. It is but a very fond dalliance to brawl upon the labels before you agree upon the original verity. The true sense of this little sentence, This is my body that shall be delivered for you, is the root and the original of all such labels as we teach.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. i. 57. Ere this hand by thee to Romeo seald, Shall be the Labell to another Deede this shall slay them both. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., V. v. 430. When I wakd, I found This Labell on my bosome.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. 75. Make us read our duty in the pages of revelation, not in the labels of accidentall effects.
1654. H. LEstrange, Chas. I., 80. It was presented to the King without any such saving label.
16581706. Phillips, Labels little pieces of parchment cut out long-wayes, and hanging upon Indentures, or other kinde of writings.
† 3. Astron. and Surveying. In an astrolabe or a circumferentor, a narrow thin brass rule used chiefly in taking altitudes. Obs.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 22. Thanne hastow a label, that is schapen lik a rewle, save that it is streit & hath no plates on either ende with holes.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., vi. Introd. (1636), 607. This Labell is divided into 90 degrees twice set doune therein with Arithmeticall figures.
1674. Moxon, Tutor Astron. (ed. 3), II. xiii. 50. The Astrolabe is a round Instrument flat on either side . Upon the Center is a moveable Label or Ruler whereupon is placed two Sights. Ibid., 51. The degree and part of degree that the Label lies on is the height of the Sun above the Horizon.
† 4. gen. A slip or strip of anything; a narrow piece (of land); a clamp (of iron); etc. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 282/2. Labelle, labellum.
157787. Harrison, England, I. x. in Holinshed, I. 34. By north of the Brier, lieth the Rusco, which hath a Labell or Byland, stretching out towards the southwest.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., XV. 39. They sealed the grave, and rolled a great stone at the mouth of it and as an ancient tradition says, bound it about with labels of iron.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, IV. i. 25. Where Balak met Balaam, standing as it were on his tiptoes on the very last labell of his land, to reach forth welcome to that false prophet.
1679. Hist. Jetzer, 5. The flesh and skin hung down in long Collops and Labels.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, III. 249. Its Lungs consisting of a thin, skinny Substance divided into two Labels, placed on each side, and filled with Air; which being let out, those Labels shrunk together.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 335. Nine fryingpan-plates claspt together by turning up 4 Labells which are ordinarily fixt to the lower plate.
5. Her. A mark of cadency distinguishing the eldest son of a family and consisting in a band drawn across the upper part of the shield having (usually three) dependent points (label of three points); cf. FILE sb.2 5. † Also, one of the dependent points (or lambeaux).
[1394. in Rymer Fœdera (1709), VII. 763. Habeat justum Titulum hæreditarium ad portandum, pro Cresta sua, unum Leopardum de Auro, cum uno Labello Albo.]
a. 1412[?]. Lydg., Two Merchants, 868. For now of trowthe no man can contryve A verray seel or thenpreent i-grave Withoute a label his armes hool to save.
1463. in Bury Wills (Camden), 35. My best herte of gold with aungellys and a ruby with iiij. labellys of white innamyl.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her., f vii b. Off armys barrit and of labellis borne in armys.
c. 1500. Sc. poem on Heraldry, 44, in Q. Eliz. Acad., etc. 95. Nobilis bere merkis, to mak be knawin, ther douchtynes The fader the hole, the eldas son deffer[e]nt, quhiche a labelle; a cressent the secound.
1562. Leigh, Armorie (1597), 107 [see FILE sb.2 5].
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, I. vi. (1660), 33. The Labell of the Heire apparent (saith Wyrley) is seldom transferred unto the second brother.
1611. Cotgr., Lambel, a File with three Labells pendant. Ibid., Pendante, a labell pendant.
c. 1640, 1727. [see FILE sb.2 5].
1708. Chamberlayne, State Gt. Brit., I. II. v. (1743), 58. The Arms of the Prince of Wales at this Day differ from those of the King only by addition of a Label of three points.
1863. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., ix. 46. A Label is sometimes borne as a sole Charge. Ibid., xiv. 153. A silver label of five points.
6. A narrow strip of material attached to a document to carry the seal.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 344. An instrument or wrytynge, at ye which hynge many labellys with sealys.
167988. Secr. Serv. Money Chas. & Jas. (Camd.), 64. For writing, flourishing, and embellishing and guilding the subscripcon and labells of a lre sent to the Czars of Russia.
a. 1680. Butler, Licentious Age Chas. II., 142. Until the subtlest of their conjurers Seald up the labels to his soul, his ears.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 131. On this Label of Lead, the Heads of the two Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul are impressed from the Papal Seal.
1738. Birch, App. to Life Milton, M.s Wks. I. 88. He did stitch the silk Cord or Label of that Seal with silk of the Colours of the said Label, and so fixed the Label and Seal to the said Commission.
7. A slip of paper, cardboard, metal, etc., attached or intended to be attached to an object and bearing its name, description or destination. (The chief current sense.) Also fig.
1679. Roxb. Ball. (1883), IV. 549. Let several Labels from their mouths proceed, To note the different Tribes othe Holy Seed: Here, Root and Branch; there, Down with Babel, down!
1680. Dryden, Sp. Friar, I. i. About his Neck There hung a Wench; the Label of his Function.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Christi, III. III. (1852), 556. A poor Indian having a label going from his mouth, with a come over and help us.
1722. De Foe, Moll Flanders (1840), 261. The hamper was directed by a lable on the cording.
1765. H. Walpole, Vertues Anecd. Paint. (1789), IV. 155. Sometimes a short label [in or on Hogarths figures] is an epigram, and is never introduced without improving the subject.
1773. Lond. Chron., 7 Sept., 248/3. Labels for bottles.
1797. Godwin, Enquirer, I. xv. 129. A collection of books is viewed through glass doors, their outsides and labels are visible to the child, but the key is carefully kept.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ii. With a brass label and number round his neck.
1841. Forbes, Eleven Yrs. Ceylon, I. 131. Fine cold-drawn castor oil was found printed on the label.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 4. To the critic of the schools, ever ready with the compendious label, he is the revolutionary destructive.
1888. Anna K. Green, Behind Closed Doors, vii. Poison that is bought at a drug-store usually has a label on the bottle.
b. An adhesive postage-stamp, bill-stamp, or the like. (Now only in official language.)
1840. in Philbrick & Westoby, Postage Stamps Gt. Brit. (1881), 46. I beg to enclose you two specimens of the Penny and Twopenny stamped Covers and Envelopes, and two of the Penny adhesive Labels. Ibid., 47. Sheets of 1d. Labels containing 240 Stamps.
1861. Brit. Postal Guide, Jan., 14. Postage Stamps. Every Postmaster is required to have on hand a sufficient stock of postage labels and embossed penny envelopes.
8. Arch. A molding over a door, window, or other opening; a dripstone.
1823. in Nicholson, Pract. Builder, 587.
1850. Parkers Gloss. Archit. (ed. 5), s.v. Dripstone, The term Label is borrowed from heraldry, and therefore in strictness is only applicable to the straight form which is used in Perpendicular work, which resembles the heraldic label.
1851. Turners Dom. Archit., II. ii. 30. The arches have no projecting label.
1879. Sir G. G. Scott, Lect. Med. Archit., I. vi. 225. As the junction of the arch with the wall above was but slightly marked a small projecting moulding was introduced which we call the drip-stone or label.
9. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 7) label-licking, paster; label-cloth, cloth used for the making of labels for books; label-ink, ink used in the marking of labels; † label-lolling a., projecting like a label (sense 7); label-mould, -moulding = sense 8; † label-seal, a seal attached to a document by a label; label-stop Arch., a boss or corbel supporting the end of a label or dripstone.
1891. Daily News, 1 Dec., 2/3. The manufacture of book cloth, tracing cloth, *label cloth, and grey cloth.
1863. Fownes Man. Elem. Chem. (ed. 9), III. 683. [It] forms a most excellent *label-ink for the laboratory, as it is unaffected by acid vapours.
1899. Daily News, 9 Sept., 3/4. *Label-licking, which is practised largely in thread mills and aerated water factories.
1615. Sir E. Hoby, Curry-combe, v. 237. These mushrumps (grounded vpon a lesse motiue) may not bee questioned, though nothing so euident as a blareing *label-lolling tongue, which without the helpe of a Muffler, could not be so well concealed.
1878. MVittie, Christ Ch. Cathedral, Dublin, 67. Over the large pointed arch is a *label mould terminating with delicate foliage.
1830. Mrs. Bray, Fitz of Fitz-ford, iv. (1884), 33. A well-turned archway, ornamented with the oak-branch and the *label-moulding, gave entrance to an inner court.
1889. A. T. Pask, Eyes Thames, 172. They have been book-binders, boot-closers, *label-pasters, and such like.
1679. Willoughby, in Mansells Narr. Pop. Plot, 21. A Commission, with thirteen *Label-seals, and as many Names thereto.
1894. C. G. Harper, Marches of Wales, 132. A carefully rendered little head with quaint headdress carved on the *label-stop of the canopy is quite charming.