Obs. or dial. Forms: 1 spellian, -iʓan (spillian), 2–4 spellen, 3–5 spelle, 4–6 spel, 4– spell. [OE. spellian (f. spel SPELL sb.1), = OHG. -spellôn (MHG. spellen, G. dial. spellen, spillen), MDu. and MLG. spellen, Goth. spillôn, ON. spjalla, to talk, discourse, etc.
It is doubtful how far some modern dialect uses of spell represent this word.]
1. intr. To discourse or preach; to talk, converse or speak.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xvi. § 1. Þa ongan he eft spellian & þus cwæþ.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke xxiv. 15. Miððy [hia] woeron spellendo vel ʓespelledon.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 202. Mid deadum spellian, ʓestrion hit ʓetacnað.
a. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 121. Ða ðe Crist gann arst to spellen,… ða sade he [etc.].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8520. He þat mikel has for to tell þe scortliker he aght to spell.
a. 1375. Lay Folks Mass Bk., App. iv. 508. Iesus … dude him aȝeyn in paradis,… Wip speche as I ow spelle.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3722. What helpeth lenger for to spelle?
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 99. He suld spedely speike, and spair nocht to spell.
b. Const. of (the thing spoken of).
c. 1200. Ormin, 6389. Þa lifess þatt icc habbe ȝuw Summ del nu spelledd offe.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 95. Qua-sa will of hyr fayrnes spell, Find he sal inogh to tell.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10613. Til Domesday men schalle spelle … of Arthures dedes.
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 379, in Babees Bk. Now of marschalle of halle wylle I spelle, And what falle to hys offyce now wylle y telle.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Grail, xxxvii. 455. I beleve ryht wel That this is he of whom ȝe spelle.
1530. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. II. 186. I assure your Grace shall sease and put to sylence sum persons that moche spelyth of the same.
2. trans. To utter, declare, relate, tell.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., Proem 4. Him wæs lust micel ðæt he ðiossum leodum leoð spellode.
c. 1200. Ormin, Ded. 311. I wollde … Þatt all Ennglisshe lede … Wiþþ tunge shollde spellenn itt.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 112. Acke of seint thomas himselue þat beste cometh nou to spelle.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 692. No tonge ne may hit telle, Ne þouȝt þenche, ne mouþ spelle.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 20. I can noght thanne unethes spelle That I wende altherbest have rad.
1426. Audelay, Poems, 28. He that spekys and spedys noȝt, he spellys the wynd.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), v. 275. Blessed is that soule that this speche spelles.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XVI. (Percy Soc.), 68. Pryvely I did his lesson spel, Sayeng to him, my chance and desteny Of al other is the moste unhappy.
