Obs. Forms: 1–2 eaxl, exel, 1–3 exl, 3 æxl. [Common Teut.: OE. eaxl, fem., = ON. öxl (pl. axlir), OHG. ahsala, MHG. ahsel, mod.G. achsel, OTeut. *ahslâ, from same root as *ahsâ: see AX sb.2 Cogn. w. L. *axula, āla.] The shoulder.

1

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 104. Weorp ofer eaxle, oþþe betweoh þeoh.

2

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xv. 5. He hitt set on his exla [Hatton eaxle] geblissiende.

3

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 245. He hit berð an his eaxlun.

4

c. 1205.  Lay., 18032. Hengen an heore æxle mucle wi-æxe.

5