v. Obs. Also 4–6 solfe (5 solfon), 5 solue, solph-, 6 solff, soulfe; 4 solfye, 5 solfy. See also SOWFF v. [ad. OF. (also mod.F.) solfier (cf. Sp. solfear), f. sol fa SOL-FA sb.]

1

  1.  intr. = SOL-FA v. 1. Also fig.

2

c. 1330.  in Rel. Ant., I. 292. I solfe, and singge after,… I horle at the notes.

3

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 423. Ȝete can I neither solfe ne synge ne seyntes lyues rede.

4

c. 1400.  Beryn, 396. He had nede to solue Long or it wer mydnyȝt.

5

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 464/1. Solfon, solfo.

6

a. 1529.  Skelton, Agst. comely Coystrowne, 23. He solfyth to haute, hys trybyll is to hy.

7

1542.  St. Papers Hen. VIII. (1849), IX. 238. They are lyke to solfe for yt; for the King chargethe them … with thinsurrection.

8

1570.  Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), I. 301/2. Their singyng was turned to scoldyng,… and if in stead of the Organes they had had a drumme, I doubt, but they would haue solfed [1596 solfaed] by the eares together.

9

  2.  trans. = SOL-FA v. 2. Also fig.

10

1525.  Bp. Clerk, Lett. to Wolsey (MS. Cott. Vit. B. VII. f. 127). To make the Venetians the more afrayd and to make them to solfe sumwhatt a highar notte.

11

1553.  Respublica, I. iv. 410. Come on; ye shall Learne to solfe Reformacion, Sing on nowe, Re.

12

1582.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 21. [Æneas] This kyrye sad solfing, thee northern bluster aproching Thee sayls tears tag rag.

13

  Hence † Solfing vbl. sb. Obs.

14

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 464/1. Solfynge, solfacio.

15

c. 1500.  in Grose’s Antiq. Rep. (1809), IV. 409. For thy sophisticall solphynge,… take it forthe!

16