Obs. Forms: 1 tǽlan (télan), 2–3 tælen (3 (Orm.) tælenn, 3–5 tellen), 2–4 telen, 3–4 tele. [OE. (WSax.) tǽlan (Angl. télan) = ON. tǽla to deceive, betray, entice:—OTeut. *tǣljan, f. tǣlâ: see TELE sb. Cf. OHG. zâlàn (:—tǣlàjan) to rob, pillage.]
1. trans. To speak evil of, or to; to revile, calumniate; to mock, scorn, deride.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxviii. § 3. Ic wolde unðeawas tælan & goode herian.
c. 890. Laws K. Ælfred, c. 37. Ne tæl ðu ðinne Dryhten.
a. 900. Kentish Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker, 55/19. Et detraxerunt, and his teldan. Ibid., 75/13. Deridet, tela. Ibid., 76/31. Detrahent, telað.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John xii. 48. Seðe mec teles [c. 975 Rushw. teleð].
10[?]. Glosses (Cott. Cleop.), in Wr.-Wülcker, 373/26. Carpere, telan.
c. 1260. Hatton Gosp., Luke xiv. 29. Ealle þe hit ȝe-seoð aginned hine tælen [Ags. Gosp. tælan].
c. 1200. Ormin, 2039–40. Ȝiff þatt tu willt tælenn me þe birrþ ec hire tælenn.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 237, in O. E. Misc., 116. Byfore he be meneþ, by-hynde he þe teleþ.
c. 1490. Promp. Parv., 488/1 (MS. K.). Tellynge, or grochynge, murmuracio.
2. To deceive, entrap [cf. ON. tǽla to betray].
c. 1325. Metr. Hom. (1862), 12. His [Christ’s] godhed in fleis was felid Als hok in bait, quare thoru he telid The fend, that telid our fadir Adam. Ibid., 152. That he no haf miht us to tele With gastly dranc and wit darnele.
13[?]. Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.), in Herrig’s Archiv, LVII. 276. But faste he fondeþ mon to tele. Vre lord vs schilde from his teolyng.
Hence † Teling vbl. sb. (also 3 teolunge, 4 -yng, teliinge, 4–5 telyng, teeling), deception, sorcery, witchcraft.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 208. Sigaldren, & false teolunges, leuunge on ore & of swefnes & alle wichchecreftes.
c. 1315. Shoreham, III. 178. By-lef þou in no wychecraft, Ne ine none teliinge.
13[?]. [see TELE v. 2].
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 343. He triste on his endynge [v.r. enditynge] and tellynges [v.rr. teelingis, telyngs, tellyngys] as olde wifes useþ.
a. 1450. Myrc, Par. Pr., 360. Wychecrafte and telynge.
c. 1490. [see TELE v. 1].
