arch. Forms: 3 aunlaȝ, 4 anlas, anlaas, anelas, 5 analasse, 4–9 anlace, 9 anelace. [Used 5 times in Latinized form anelacius, anelatius, by Matthew Paris, as a vulgar, i.e., English word. No traces of it in any continental language. The OWelsh anglas (in Gododin Poem, Skene, 4 Bks. Wales, II. 84, I. 399) is probably the same word, but nothing is known of its formation or origin.] A short two-edged knife or dagger, broad at the hilt and tapering to the point, formerly worn at the girdle. (Obs. bef. 1500, erron. defined in early Dicts., and used loosely by mod. poets.)
[a. 1259. Matt. Paris (p. 274, in Du Cange). Genus cultelli, quod vulgariter anelacius dicitur.]
a. 1300. Havelok, 2554. Hand-ax, sythe, gisarm, or spere, Or aunlaȝ, and god long knif.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5637. An anlas þo droȝ oute.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 357. An Anlaas [v.r. ane-, anlas] … Heeng at his girdel.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xxx. 13. Opon his cheueroune be-forn Stode as a vnicorn Als scharpe as a thorn An nanlas of stele.
c. 1440. Morte Arth., 1148. Arthur with ane anlace egerly smyttez.
[1656. Blount, Glossogr., Anelate, a Faulchion or wood-knife, which I gather out of M[atthew] Par[is].
1678. Phillips, Anlace (old word), a Falchion or Sith-fashioned Sword.
1775. Ash, Anlace, a short sword, a dagger, a wood-knife.]
1813. Scott, Rokeby, V. xv. And by his side an anlace hung.
1812. Byron, Childe Har., I. liv. The Spanish maid … the anlace hath espoused, Sung the loud song, and dared the deed of war.
1834. Planché, Brit. Costume, 112. The anelace or anelas, a broad dagger tapering to a very fine point.
