Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: α. 2–3 arblast(e, 4 arblest(e, 4, 9 arbelast(e, 5, 8 arbalust(e, (7–8 arbalet), 7–9 arbalist, 9 -est. β. 4–5 alblast, 5 alablast(e, awblast, ablast(e. γ. 4 are-, arwe-, 5 arowblast, (7 arobalist). [a. AFr. *arb(e)leste, *arb(e)laste, OF. arbaleste (also arbeleste, arbaste, arblatt, mod. arbalète), cogn. w. Pr. arbalesta, albaresta:—L. arcuballista, f. arcus bow + ballista military engine for throwing missiles, q.v. The forms in γ are due to pop. assoc. with arrow; arbalet in 17–18th c. is after mod.F. As the word survives only in military antiquities, it has no standard modern spelling. See also ARCUBALIST.]
1. A cross-bow, consisting of a steel bow fitted to a wooden shaft, furnished with special mechanism for drawing and letting slip the bowstring, and used for the discharge of arrows, bolts, stones, etc.
a. 1100. O. E. Chron. (MS. D), an. 1079. Mid anan arblaste of scoten.
1297. R. Glouc., 377. Myd bowe & arblaste.
c. 1300. Alisaunder, 268. With atling of areblast.
c. 1325. Cœur de L., 2524. Wente alsoo faste As quarrel dos off the arweblast.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 313. With arwe and bowe and alblast.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 3312. Arbelastes y-mad of tre.
c. 1400. Le Bone Florence, 861. They sende … quarels wyth alablaste.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Ablaste (1499 Alblast), Balista.
c. 1450. in Wright, Voc., 196. Hec balista, ane awblast. Ibid. (c. 1475), 264. Balista, a arowblaste.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., xxviii. 23. He bent an arblast. Ibid. (1483), Gold. Leg., 314/4. A quarel … shotte out of Arbalaste.
1622. Heylyn, Cosmogr., I. (1682), 178. Richard the First was slain by a shot from an Arbalist.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 60. One might shoot with the Arbalet.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 120. An Arbalist, or rather Arobalist.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, VIII. From the arbalast the fire-tipt dart Shot lightning through the sky.
1825. Scott, Talism., xii. Unbend thy arblast, and come into the moonlight.
1840. Browning, Sordello, IV. 362. Arbalist, manganel, and catapult.
1879. Green, Read. Eng. Hist., xiii. 60. Six newly-headed shafts for the deadly arbalest.
2. = ARBALESTER. (Cf. med.L. arbalista = ballistarius, Du Cange; the ending -ista commonly indicating a personal agent.)
c. 1450. Merlin, vii. 113. Viij ml. knyghtes, with-outen seriantz and arblastis.
1844. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858), I. App. 365. Odo, the arbalist.
3. A mathematical instrument, called also a Jacob’s Staff, formerly used to take the altitude of stars. (So in Fr.)
1816. in C. James, Mil. Dict., s.v. Arbalet.
