Obs. [f. SOIL v.2]
1. Assoilment, absolution.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 29535. Gain cursing gode all es be-warr, And if þou wat þou ert þair-in His soilling seke wit-vten blin.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 481. Whanne þer soyling & þer bynding acordide wiþ god in heuene.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 67. Þerfor þe causis are to be peysid, and þan power of bynding and soiling is to be vsid.
1529. More, Suppl. Souls, Wks. 290. Blessing and cursing, cyting, suspending and soyling.
2. Solution, explanation, answering.
a. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 386. Þanne he putte in dede soilyng of þis questioun. Ibid. (1388), Dan. iv. 3. Thei schulden schewe to me the soilyng of the dreem.
c. 1500. Three Priests Peblis, in Pinkerton, Sc. Poems (1792), I. 11. Desyrand for to wit the solyeing Of this questioun, this probleame, and this dout.
c. 1530. L. Cox, Rhet. (1899), 64. Confutacion is the soilynge of suche argumentes as maye be induced agaynste our purpose.
1548. Geste, Priv. Masse, 113. The soylyng of these two last recited scryptures.
