Forms: α. 5 vtensele, utensyle, 6 -cyle, vtensyle, 6–7 -sile, 7 utensile. β. 5 vtensyl, 6 -sylle, utensille, 7 vtensil, 7–8 utensill, 7– utensil; 5–6 Sc. vtensel, 6 -cell, utencell, 7 vtensell(e. [a. OF. utensile, etc. (14th c.; F. ustensile), a. med.L. ūtēnsile sb., f. L. ūtēnsil-is adj., fit for use, useful. Cf. It. utensile, Sp. and Pg. utensilio.
The stressing u·tensil, evidenced by metrical examples down to c. 1800, is corroborated by Johnson and some later Dicts. down to 1835; but the present stressing appears in Bailey’s Dict. (1730), and is supported by Ash, Todd, etc.]
† 1. collective sing. Vessels or instruments for various domestic uses. Chiefly Sc. Obs.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xlvi. (Anastasia), 170. In it [sc. the prison] for to kepe vmquhile Of þe kechine ves vtensel [L. coquinæ utensilia].
1411. E. E. Wills (1882), 18. Y be-qweythe to lucye my wyfe … alle þe vtensyl of myn hows, þat ys to say, in halle, in Chambre, in Pantrie and Botrie, in larder and Kechyn.
1428. Reg. de Aberbrothoc (Bann. Club), II. 58. Hal chawmyr kechyng and butre with swilk vtensele as the said John Vernour vsis.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 222. Mony come him till,… With wyffe and barne, and all thair vtencell, As tha in Scotland euir mair sould duell.
2. Any article useful or necessary in a household; a domestic implement, vessel, or article of furniture; now esp., an instrument or vessel in common use in a kitchen, dairy, etc.; † freq. pl., = household goods.
α. 1484. Caxton, Fables of Poge, i. He gaf to her all new utensyles to kepe houshold.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 6/1. Much siluer vessel and plate, with other … costly vtensiles of houshold.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 48. Kenelwoorth Castl … so fully furnisht of rich apparell, & vtensilez apted in all pointes to the best.
1611. Cotgr., Vtensile, an vtensile; any implement,… or houshold stuffe.
1648. Masy, in Nightingale, Ejected of 1662 (1911), 922. The enemie hath … spoyled my house, windowes, dores & all utinseles [sic].
β. 1542. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 160. All the utensilles nowe beinge at Snape.
1546. inEng. Gilds (1870), 199. Certen other plate … with diuerse vtensylles.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 104. He ha’s braue Vtensils … Which when he ha ’s a house, hee’l decke withall.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Yorks., III. (1662), 186. Small utensils, as Salt-cellars, and the like.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 141. Ye stands, table, and fire utensills.
1767. A. Young, Farmer’s Lett. to People, 218. No expences are calculated for the dairy, such as wood, utensils, &c.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., To Lewis, 11 Oct. There was no furniture but the utensils of the kitchen.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, III. 47. The culinary utensils of the party.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. The tap and parlour … were provided with comfortable fireside tin utensils.
1904. Verney Mem., I. 550. Household utensils were apt to run short in the families of the English planters.
b. Any vessel († article, implement, etc.) serving a useful end or purpose.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men, IV. (W. de W., 1506), X iij b. Vtensyles as lynnen cloth or wollen, flesshe, corne, & wyne.
1551. in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 62. Instrumentes vtensiles and other furniture … appertaynynge to the Lorde of Mysrule. Ibid. (1554–5), Revels Q. Mary (1914), 173. Hedpeces wepons and other vtensiles for maskes.
1660. Waterhouse, Arms & Arm., 11. Coat-armours and other portable utensiles which we call Insignia.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 336. Waggons fraught with Utensils of war.
1689. ‘Philopolites,’ Grumble. Crew, p. ii. Gibbets you know, are Utensils of State.
1705. W. Derham, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 316. The utensils for observing the Quantities of Rain which fall.
1751. Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, IV. 227. She … made her wearing apparel be also disposed of in proper utensils.
1805. Act 45 Geo. III., c. 30 § 10. By melting any metal … in any pot, crucible, or other utensil.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1871), I. 2. A foot-warmer (a long, flat tin utensil, full of hot water) was put into the carriage.
transf. 1657. W. Rand, trans. Gassendi’s Life Pieresc, II. 246. A large Library, and other literary utensils.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1692), 62. Fire … is … a Subject or Utensil of … various and inexplicable use.
1705. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (ed. 2), I. 190. The Reader will find plenty of necessary Utensils for the improvement of his Manners.
c. esp. An implement or tool useful to or used by an artisan, mechanic, farmer, etc.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Vtensils, things necessary for our use … in a trade.
1659. W. Chamberlayne, Pharon., IV. V. 337. The straitened ’prentice … Changes the baser utensils of trade For burnished arms.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 277. Utensils, Instruments used in any Art, especially Husbandry.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., II. 178. If we find the Walks … kept neat and clean, and no Garden Tools or Utensils any where neglected.
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 15. [In] sinking a Coal-Pit, what Utensils are requisite?
1774. Act 14 Geo. III., c. 71. § 1. The exportation of the several tools or utensils made use of in preparing … the Cotton and Linen Manufactures.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 212, note. The tools and utensils contrived or adapted to the Edystone works.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., III. 378. Agricultural implements, and utensils of trade.
1848. Lytton, Harold, I. i. That tablinum … was now filled with … faggots, and farming utensils.
† d. Mil. In pl. = FREE-QUARTER. Obs.–0
1702. Milit. & Sea Dict. (1711), Utensils, the Necessaries due to every Soldier, and to be furnish’d by his Host where he is quarter’d. They are, a Bed with Sheets, Pot, a Glass or Cup to drink out of, a Dish, a Place at the Fire, and a Candle. [Hence in Phillips (1706), and James (1802).]
3. † a. A part of the human frame serving a special purpose. Obs. rare.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. v. 264. I will giue out diuers scedules of my beautie. It shalbe Inuentoried and euery particle and vtensile labell’d to my will.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 67. The whole Body, and all the Organs and Utensils therein.
1675. Baxter, Cath. Theol., II. VIII. 156. Is not the whole frame of Humane Nature (and our Utensils) put into the hand and power of Christ the Redeemer.
b. One who is made use of; a useful person. rare.
1678. Otway, Friendship in F., V. i. A Sot, a Beetle, a Droan of a Husband, a mere Utensil.
1692. E. Walker, trans. Epictetus’ Mor., xxx. I thus shall useless grow To those I love,… Nor raise them to be Utensils of State.
[1794. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Remonstrance, 69. Yet is a King a utensil much wanted—A screw … to keep together The ship’s old leaky sides in stormy weather.]
1896. T. Healy, in Daily News, 14 Feb., 2/4. The first use the Unionist Government made of their Viceregal utensil.
4. A sacred vessel, furnishing, etc., belonging to, and esp. used in the services of, a church, temple, or other place of worship.
1650. Hobbes, De Corp. Pol., 150. All the Utensils of sacrifice and other holy Things, were ordered by Moses.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Ductor, III. iv. rule vi. § 20. The Rulers office … may extend to sumptuousness, to ornaments of churches, to rich utensils, to splendor, to majesty.
1701. Prideaux, Direct. Ch.-wardens (1712), 30. What are not fixed to the Freehold of the Church, but are of the moveable Goods belonging thereto, are called the Utensils of the Church.
1751. Affect. Narr. of Wager, 155. The Jesuits Church…, the Utensils of which are exceedingly valuable.
1805. Foster, Ess., IV. iv. 164. Consecrated utensils stolen out of a temple.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, II. 52. In certain solemn processions … they were compelled to bear a part of the sacred utensils.
1877. J. D. Chambers, Div. Worship, 249. The forms for Benediction of the Sacramental Utensils.
5. A stool for evacuation; a chamber-pot. Spec. chamber utensil.
1699. Garth, Dispens., II. 24. The Springs of Life their former Vigour feel, Such Zeal he had for that vile Utensil.
1731. Swift, Strephon & Chloe, 173. The nymph … brings a vessel into bed: Fair utensil, as smooth and white As Chloe’s skin.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 147. If Alexander and Cæsar could never be easy off the stool, I would not deny them that needful utensil.
1834. Westm. Rev., XX. 494. On being waked by her house on fire, [she] laid hold of the chamber utensil and rushed out.
1861. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing (ed. 2), 16. Any chamber utensil without a lid.
