a. Obs. Forms: 1 swutol, -el, sutol, 2–3 sutel, 3–4 sotel. [OE. (late WS.) swutol = Anglian sweotol, of obscure origin.] Clear, manifest, evident.

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c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xiv. (1871), 83 (Hatton MS.). Ðonne bið hit swutul [Cott. sweotol] þæt he bið suiðe ʓerisenlice besuapen [etc.].

2

971.  Blickl. Hom., 203. Þa fotlastas wæron swutole and ʓesyne on þæm stane.

3

c. 1000.  Beowulf, 90. Þær wies hearpan sweʓ, swutol sang scopes.

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a. 1100.  Gloss Aldhelm, 4538, in Napier, O. E. Glosses, 117. Satis euidens, ʓenoh sutel.

5

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18862. Aȝȝ wass i þiss middellaerd Full sutell & full sene.

6

c. 1205.  Lay., 1519. Ne cume ȝe neauer wið vte scipes bord ær ich ou sende sutel [c. 1275 sotel] word.

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a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1033. In euch þing of þe world beoð sutel … þe weolen of godes wisdom.

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a. 1310.  in Wright, Lyric P., iv. 23. Sone is sotel … this sake al than hit seme suete.

9

  Hence † Suteliche adv. (1 swutol(l)ice, swutelice, 3 sutel(l)iche: see -LY2), clearly, plainly, evidently.

10

c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. viii. (1890), 174. Moniʓe þara broðra … sæʓdon þæt heo swutolice [v.rr. swutollice, sweotolice] engla song ʓehyrdon.

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c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xv. 13. Him wæs þa ʓesæd swutelice þurh god, Wite þu [etc.].

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c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 41. We eow wulleð suteliche seggen of þa fredome þe limpeð to þan deie þe is iclepeð su sunedei.

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c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 145. Þe holi gost, þe him dide suterliche [sic] to understonden þat ure drihten wolde man bicumen.

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a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 112. Þe reisuns hwui beoð her efter suteliche [v.r. opinlike] ischeawede.

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c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 23. Feole priuileges scheaweð ful sutelliche hwucche beon þe meidenes.

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