Forms: 4–5, 7 lyntel(l, 5, 7 li-, lyntal(l, (6 lyntil, lynttyll, 7 lental, lindal, lintle, 8 lintil, 9 lentil), 7– lintel. [a. OF. lintel threshold (F. linteau):—popular L. *līmitāle or *līmitellum (f. līmit-, līmes LIMIT sb., confused with līmin-, līmen threshold).]

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  1.  A horizontal piece of timber, stone, etc., placed over a door, window, or other opening to discharge the superincumbent weight.

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1388.  Wyclif, Exod. xii. 22. Sprynge ȝe therof the lyntel [Vulg. superliminare], and euer either post.

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c. 1450.  Merlin, 436. The Emperor … wrote letteres on the lyntell of the dore in grewe.

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1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lxix. 39. Albeid that thow were never sa stout, Vndir this lyntall sall thow lowt.

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1601–2.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 629. Paid for lyntalls at the fountaine iiijs viijd.

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1667.  Primatt, City & C. Build., 82. One Lintal to discharge the two Windows and Balcony-door, eight foot of Timber.

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1725.  Pope, Odyss., VII. 116. The pillars silver, on a brazen base; Silver the lintels deep-projecting o’er.

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1839.  Yeowell, Anc. Brit. Ch., xii. (1847), 139. A moor-stone lintel is placed across the top to support the little roof.

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1863.  A. Fonblanque, Tangled Skein, II. ii. 29. Upon the lentil of No. 7 [he] found painted the name of Mr. C. L.

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  † 2.  ? A spoke of a wheel. Obs.–0

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1570.  Levins, Manip., 125/13. Lyntil of a cart, radius.

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  3.  attrib., as lintel-piece, -post, -stone, -tree.

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1842–59.  Gwilt, Encycl. Archit., Gloss. s.v., If a wall be very thick, more than one *lintel piece will be required.

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1874.  Raymond, Statist. Mines & Mining, 402. The lintel-piece alone weighs about 3,000 pounds.

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1806.  J. Grahame, Birds Scot., 942. Others [sc. birds] sometimes Are driven within our *lintel-posts by storms.

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1575.  Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1832), 50. Item, to James Law, for þe thre *lintall stanes to þe boiss windois, xij s.

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1879.  Lubbock, Addr. Pol. & Educ., x. 197. The lintel stones of the doorway are 40 feet 10 inches in length.

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1601.  Holland, Pliny, II. 580. The … maine *lintle-tree which lay ouer the … cheekes of the great dore.

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1675.  Hobbes, Odyssey (1677), 77. The door-posts silver … The lintle-tree upon them silver too.

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  Hence Lintelled a., furnished with a lintel. Lintelling vbl. sb., the action of providing with lintels; the material used for this purpose.

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1703.  T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 98. Lintelling, Guttering…, &c. at so much per Foot.

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1827.  Gentl. Mag., XCVII. II. 9. A doorway with a lintelled architrave.

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1894.  Conan Doyle, Mem. Sherlock Holmes, 111. Over the low, heavy-lintelled door.

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