adv. Obs. exc. arch. and dial. Forms: see LIMB sb.1; also 3 -mele, -meel(e, 5–7 -meale, 9 dial. limb-mull, limmel. [OE. limmǽlum: see LIMB sb.1 and -MEAL.] Limb from limb, limb by limb; piecemeal.
c. 1050. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 440/36. Membratim, limmælum.
c. 1205. Lay., 25618. He þer þene beore of-sloh, and hine limmele [c. 1275 leome-mele] to-droh.
a. 1225. Juliana, 79. Þer ase wilde deor limmel to luken ham.
c. 1290. Beket, 1779, in S. Eng. Leg. Þei ich beo drawe lime mele.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 281. Maximus … was alto hakked … and i-þrowe lyme meele into Tyber.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VIII. xxxvii. 330. He was drawen lymme meale.
1590. Fenne, Frutes, 41. Readie to teare in peeces, and plucke lim-meale the bodie of the bloudie tyrant.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. iv. 147. O that I had her heere, to teare her Limb-meale.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 399. Tears Cards Limb-meal without Regard of Age, Sex, or Quality, and breaks the Bones of Dice.
1709. trans. P. de Cieza’s Trav., 78. Putting him to exquisite Torments and tearing his Body Limb-meal.
1860. T. Martin, Horace, 309. Up with their nails the earth they threw, Then limb-meal tore a coal-black ewe.
1894. S. E. Worcs. Gloss., Limmel.
Hence † Limbmeally adv., in same sense.
1569. Underdown, Ovid agst. Ibis, L iij b. He was … torne limmeally, that is to say, each peece from other.
