poet. Obs. Forms: 1 wæl, 3 wæl(e, wal(e, wel. [OE. wæl neut. = OS. wal- in waldâd murderous deed, OHG. wal neut., walu- (MHG. wal neut., masc., wale ? masc.), ON. val-r masc. (whence valkyrja VALKYRIE):—OTeut. *walo- (? *walu-), perh. cogn. w. L. volnus, vulnus wound.] Death, slaughter. (In OE. also collect. the slain; rarely a slain person.)

1

c. 900.  Bæda’s Hist., IV. xv. (1890), 306. Mid grimme wæle & heriʓe.

2

c. 1205.  Lay., 404. Þar aros wale & win. Ibid., 4111. Þat wæl wes þe more.

3

  b.  Comb.: wal-kemp, a warrior; wal-slaught, deadly battle; wal-spear, a battle-spear.

4

c. 1205.  Lay., 565. Antigonus … mid his *wæl-kempen swenden toward Brutun.

5

a. 900[?].  O. E. Chron. (Parker MS.), an. 839. Her wæs micel *wælsliht on Lundenne, and on Cwantawic, and on Hrofesceastre.

6

c. 1205.  Lay., 1369. Þa Grickes hit biwnnan mid heora wæl slahte.

7

a. 1000.  Byrhtnoth, 322 (Gr.). Oft he gar forlet, *wælspere windan on þa wicingas.

8

c. 1205.  Lay., 28577. Arður [wes] forwunded mid wal-spere brade.

9