Now only techn. Forms: 4–5 limail(le, lymail(le, -ayl(e, lemaille, 5 limayle, lymayll, 6 limall, 7 limaile, limmell, 9 lemel, Sc. lummle. [a. F. limaille, f. limer:—L. līmāre to file.] Metal filings.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 1267. An Ounce … Of siluer lemaille.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 592/45. Limatorium, lytarge or lymayle.
1460–70. Bk. Quintessence, 9. If ȝe wole not make lymayl of gold, þanne make þerof a sotil þinne plate.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. i. 115. Limall of golde.
1615. Markham, Eng. Housew. (1660), 105. Take Limmell of Gold, Silver, Lattin, Copper, Iron [etc.].
1825–80. Jamieson, Lummle, the filings of metal.
1893. B’ham Gaz., 12 Jan., 3/3. The waste comprised wire-ends, called gold scrap, and gold dust, called lemel.
