Now dial. Forms: α. 1 sufel, -ol, -ul, 3 suuel, 4 sou(u)el, 5 sowvel, -uel, -fful. β. 4–5 sowel, 5 -il, 4–5 sowyl(le, 5–6 sowell. γ. 3–6, 9 dial., soule, 4, 6, 9 dial., soul, 5 sowlle, 5– sowle, sowl, 6 sole, 7–9 dial. sool(e, 8–9 sawl, se(a)wl, etc. [OE. sufel, sufol, = MDu. suvel, zuvel (Du. zuivel), MLG. suvel, OHG. sufil(i neut., sufila fem., ON. sufl (Norw. suvl, sovl, sul, etc.; MSw. sufl, sofl, etc., Sw. sofvel, Da. sul), of uncertain origin.]
1. Any kind of food eaten with bread, as meat, cheese, etc.; relishing or tasty matter added to liquid or semi-liquid food, or the dish so composed. Also fig.
α. c. 960. Rule St. Benet (Schröer), 63. We ʓelyfað þæt ʓenoh sy to dæʓhwamlicum ʓereorde twa ʓesodene sufel for missenlicra manna untrumnesse.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John xxi. 5. Cnapan, cweðe ʓe, hæbbe ʓe sufol?
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 192. Ne þerf þet meiden sechen nouðer bread, ne suuel, fur þene et his halle.
a. 1300. Moral Ode, 46, in E. E. P. (1862), 23. Þider we sended suuel [sic] & bred to litel & to selde.
a. 1380. St. Paula, 38, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 4. Oþur souuel vsede heo non But oyle wiþ hire bred alon.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 137. ‘Children, han ȝe ony sowvel?’ þat is, mete to make potage, and to medle among potage. Ibid. (1382), 2 Sam. xiii. 5. That she ȝyue to me meet, and make sowil [v.r. sowfful].
β. c. 1300. Havelok, 1143. I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxv. 34. So breed takun and the sowil of potage [Esau] ete and dronk and ȝede forth.
14[?]. Lat.-Eng. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 579. Edulia, sowell.
c. 1475. Pict. Voc., Ibid. 788. Hoc edulium, sowylle.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. (1568), 169. The fyrste grene leaves are sodden for kichin or sowell as other eatable herbes be.
γ. 14[?]. Langl., P. Pl., B. [XV.] XVI. 11 (MS. Rawl. Poet. 38). To haue my fille of þat fruit [I would] forsake alle other soule.
c. 1425. Eng. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 661. Hoc edulium, sowle.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 201. He had no mor money lefte to by hym with soule vnto his bread bod a peny.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 64. They may be eaten with brede … for soul or kitchyn. Ibid., 66. The most part vse Basil and eate it with oyl & gare sauce for a sowle or kitchen.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 54. Feede them therewith (no other soule they craue).
1674. Ray, N. Co. Words, 44. Sool or Sowle, any thing eaten with bread.
1684. Yorks. Dial., 213 (E. D. S.). Here’st Dubler broken, and nowther sowl nor breau.
1775. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), Misc. Wks., Introd. Whot wofo Times ar’ theese! Pot-baws ar scant, an dear is Seawl and Cheese!
1847–. in dial. glossaries (Pemb., Glamorgan, Derby, Lanc., Yks., etc.).
2. attrib. in † sowl-pennies, -silver, money given for the purchase of, or in place of, sowl.
1292[?]. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 492. Item servientibus domus pro Soulepen’. Ibid. (1310–1), 509. Tribus servientibus ecclesie pro eorum souuelp(enys). Ibid. (1373–4), 579. In solucione facta Camerario pro soulesilver servientium suorum. Ibid. (1460–1), 90. Johanni Stele,… pro suo soulesilver. Ibid. (1522–3), 255. Pro le metcorn, sowlsilver, et aliis necessariis. Ibid. (1536–7), 702. Viginti servientibus infra abbathiam in diebus piscium pro eorum soulsylver.
Sowl, obs. or dial. form of SOUL sb. and v.
