v. Forms: α. 4–5 engrele, 5 engreyl, -grale, 6–7 engraile, -ayl, 6– engrail. β. 5 ingrayl, 6–7 ingrail, -ale, -eyl, (6 ingrele). [ME. engrele, a. OF. engresle-r (mod.F. engrêler), commonly believed to be f. en- (see EN-1) + gresle, grêle hail.
The original sense would thus be ‘to pit or indent as by a shower of hail.’ The writer of the Book of St. Albans (see quot. 1486 s.v. ENGRAILED) supposed that the word was derived from gree (L. gradus) step, and hence he gives ingradatus as the Lat. equivalent of ‘engrailed.’ Cf. ENGRADED.]
1. a. Her. To indent the edge of (an ordinary) with a series of contiguous curvilinear notches. b. Hence gen. to ornament the edge of (anything) with an indented pattern of this kind.
Almost exclusively in pa. pple.: see ENGRAILED ppl. a.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xl. With his griffuns of gold engrelet fulle gay.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 1030. He beres in cheef of azour Engrelyd with a satur [i.e., saltire].
c. 1500. Sc. Poem Her., 136, in Q. Eliz. Acad., 99. The first, hole croce; the tother, engrelit be.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 27. The quarters in the diuision of the Escocheon, be engrayled.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 214. They bare for their Armes Argent a Bend ingreyled Gules.
1695. Lond. Gaz., No. 3081/4. A Lyon Rampant with Ermine in a border ingral’d.
1766. Porny, Heraldry, Gloss., Engrailed, This word signifies a thing the hail has fallen upon, and broken off the edges, like the leaves of a tree notched by hail-stones.
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Pref. 4. The Ingoldsby escutcheon, a saltire engrailed Gules.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xv. (ed. 3), 186. They also engrail the bend itself.
1877. W. Jones, Finger-ring L., 248. A curious ring was exhibited … It is engrailed.
2. transf. To give a serrated appearance to; formerly sometimes, to roughen, render prickly.
1576. Newton, trans. Lemnie’s Complex., 286. Their bodyes … engrayled with lothsome blisters.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 53. The eighth had all his armour throughout engrayled like a crabbed brierie hawthorne bush.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxix. 153. Now I [the river Wear] endent the earth, and then I it engrayle With many a turne and trace.
1661. Morgan, Sph. Gentry, I. ii. 23. Ingraling the earth by the waved lines of water.
1832. Tennyson, Palace Art, xxix. Or over hills with peaky tops engrail’d.
† 3. To indent, sculpture in intaglio. Obs.
1548. Hall, Chron. Hen. VIII., 73. A fountayne of enbowed woorke, gylte with fine gold, and bice, ingrayled with anticke woorkes.
1566. Drant, Horace, Sat., I. iii. F viij b. The executours of Staberie, engraylde on his graue, What were his ample legaces. Ibid. (1567), Arte Poet., B v. Lawes to ingrale in during brasse.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., in Holinshed, Chron., VI. 26. The famous conquest of so woorthie a potentate should be ingrailed in perpetuall memorie.
1602. Fulbecke, Pandects, 63. Their countenances were resembled and engrailed in their Armorie.
† 4. ? To variegate, adorn with mixture of colors.
In the first two quots. possibly: To surround with an indented border.
1483. in Antiq. Repert. (1807), I. 50. Rede cloth engreyled with vj yerdes of white woolen cloth.
1548. Hall, Chron. (1809), 516. Cloth of golde set with redde roses ingreyled with gold of brouderye.
1611. Chapman, Iliad, XXIII. 761/325. Æacides then shewes A long lance, and a caldron, new, engrail’d with twentie hewes.
5. In mod. poetry sometimes used for: To ornament with (metal).
It is not clear whether any more definite sense is intended in the examples here quoted.
1814. Southey, Roderick, I. White turbans, glittering armour, shields engrail’d With gold.
1823. Bowles, Grave Last Sax., IV. 552. The lion ramps Upon his mailed breast, engrailed with gold.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. X. 318. The car Engrailed with brass.
