Now dial. and rare. Forms: 1 spelian, 3 spelien, 4 spelie, -ye; 3 Orm. spelenn, 4 spele, s.w. dial. 8 speal, 9 spale. [OE. spelian, related to ʓespelia and spala substitute (see SPALE sb.1), of obscure origin.]
1. trans. To take or stand in the place of (another); to represent.
c. 960. Rule St. Benet (Schröer), 114. For Cristes arwurðnysse and for þæs lufe, ðe he spelað.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., v. 8. Pronomen is ðæs naman speliend, se spelað þone naman, þæt ðu ne ðurfe tuwa hine nemnan. Ibid. (c. 1000), Hom., II. 62. Næs ðeah Isaac ofsleʓen, ac se ramm hine spelode.
c. 1730[?]. Dorset Voc., in N. & Q., 6th Ser. (1883), VIII. 45. Speal, to spare one and take his place.
2. To spare or save (something); to leave over; to use sparingly or frugally.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 31. Ȝef þu ani þing spelest and leuest, þat þu forlest.
c. 1200. Ormin, 10133. Þatt te birrþ hellpenn iwhillc mann … Wiþþ all þatt tu mihht spelenn wel & libbenn þær wiþþutenn.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1204. Wykkedlyche al þat gode he dyspendyþ þat hys fadyr for godenesse spelyþ. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. Wace (Rolls), 14470. Schipes he hadde, y ne wot how fele; Alle he tok, & non wold spele.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 432. As an hounde … so gan ich to brake, And spilde þat ich spele myghte.
c. 1400. St. Alexius (Trin.), 208. Al þat he spelye myȝte,… His pouere feren he delde.
1880. W. Cornwall Gloss., 53/2. Spale,… to make anything last a long time. To spare.
absol. 1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 77. Boþe [to] spele and spare to spene vpon þe needful.
† b. To set aside; to neglect. Obs.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 96. He & oþer fele sent vnto Roberd, Þat stound suld he not spele, sen he þat tiþing herd.
† 3. To spare (a person); to leave unpunished or unharmed. Obs.
a. 1300. Body & Soul, in Map’s Poems (Camden), 339. Forlorn wretches that tou miȝtest spele,… wȝi lestouȝ hem be born?
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12428. Arthur … smot hym sore woundes fele, Nought of hym ne wolde he spele.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 458. Þar-for y am to þe y-sent to spelie þai doȝty men.
† b. To respite from death. Obs.
13[?]. Seuyn Sages (W.), 542. To-dai tho hast him fram deth i-speled.
Hence † Speling vbl. sb., sparing. Obs.
c. 1400. Anturs Arth., xx. (Douce MS.). Þes arne þe graceful giftes of þe holy goste, Þat enspires iche sprete, withe oute speling.
