Obs. Forms: 4–7 soyle, 5–6 soylle, 6 soyl; 4–7 soile, 4–5 soill, 6 soil, Sc. soilȝe. [ad. OF. soille pres. subj. or soil pres. ind. of soldre, soudre:—L. solvĕre to release, loosen: see ASSOIL v.]
1. trans. To absolve (a person) from sin, etc.; = ASSOIL v. 1.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 29379. Þe man þat has þam for to yeme Mai soill þam and þair mendes deme.
? 13[?]. Incestuous Daughter, 127, in Herrig, Archiv, LXXIX. 422. Þe prest soylyd hyme of his synnys.
13[?]. K. Alis., 7926 (W.). So God me soile, Thou schalt have Calabre and Poyle.
c. 1400. Ploughman’s T., in Pol. Poems (Rolls), I. 333. Of the bishop he hath powere To soile men or els they been lore.
1530. Palsgr., 724/2. I soyle from synne, je assouls.
2. To set free of, release from, an obligation, etc. Cf. ASSOIL v. 3.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Macc. x. 33. Eche soule … Y leue wilfully with out money; that alle be soiled of her tributis.
1402. Jack Upland, 427, in Skeat’s Chaucer, VII. 203. Whan ye han assoiled me that I have said,… I shall soill thee of thyne order, and save thee to heven!
3. To resolve, clear up, expound or explain; to answer (a question).
1382. Wyclif, Judges xiv. 12. Y shal purpose to ȝow a dowtous word, the which if ȝe soylen to me [etc.].
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. xciii. 127 b/2. Thy questyons ben lyghte to soylle, and lyghte to be answerde.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. xviii. (S.T.S.), II. 21. To soilȝe this questioun ane law was promulgate in comites centuriat.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 309. I haue not learned to soyle no riedles.
1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 77. Now a few questions I must soyle, and then I wil proceede to your holy geare.
1611. Cotgr., Souldre, to … cleere, or soile, a doubt.
4. To refute (an argument or objection); to overcome by argument; = ASSOIL v. 7.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 432. Herby Aristotle soyliþ an argument, bi whiche it myȝte seme to folis þat kynde failiþ to man.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 660/1. It is impossible … for Tyndall … to soyle the reason and auoyde it.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol., IV. i. 359. To avouche and proue the Truthe: After that to soile the obiections brought againste the Truthe.
