Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

housel

American  
[hou-zuhl] / ˈhaʊ zəl /

noun

  1. the Eucharist.

  2. the act of administering or receiving the Eucharist.


verb (used with object)

houseled, houseling, houselled, houselling
  1. to administer the Eucharist to.

housel British  
/ ˈhaʊzəl /

noun

  1. a medieval name for Eucharist

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to give the Eucharist to (someone)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of housel

First recorded before 900; Middle English; (noun) Old English hūsl “the Eucharist,” probably originally, “offering”; cognate with Old Norse hūsl, Gothic hunsl “sacrifice, offering”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

This holy bread we taste when we with faith go to housel; because the holy housel is spiritually Christ's body; and through that we are redeemed from eternal death.

From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham

And there be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, Omnibus diebus dominicis ad communicandum hortor. 

From The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Mandeville, John, Sir

As he arose from the slab, a bird in housel for the night flew out of the box.

From The Prince of India — Volume 02 by Wallace, Lewis

We were wedded out of hand by the priest that had been sent for to housel him, and in our true names. 

From The Armourer's Prentices by Yonge, Charlotte Mary

Spenser seems here to have in mind, not the Christian housel or Eucharist, but the Roman marriage rites with their symbolic fire and water.

From Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I by Spenser, Edmund

After this Hippolytus returned to his home, and with God's peace kissed his family, and houseled them all.

From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham

So when he was houseled and anealed, and had all that a Christian man ought to have, he prayed the Bishop that his fellows might bear his body to Joyous Gard.

From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 2 by Malory, Thomas, Sir

The holy priest Justin celebrated mass to and houseled them all.

From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham

Yet, ere the last string had twanged, he would be down on his four bones among the stricken, and have them all houseled and shriven, as quick as shelling peas.

From The White Company by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

I make my vow to God and all the saints I will not rest, nor houseled be, nor shriven, Until our realm be free from Danish foe!

From Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race by Ebbutt, M. I. (Maud Isabel)

The use of the "houseling linen" dates back to very early times.

From Bell's Cathedrals: Wimborne Minster and Christchurch Priory A Short History of Their Foundation and a Description of Their Buildings by Perkins, Thomas, Rev.

They are usually covered with white wrappings, which, to the casual visitor, have the appearance of decorators' dust-cloths, but are really "houseling linen."

From Wanderings in Wessex An Exploration of the Southern Realm from Itchen to Otter by Holmes, Edric

Up to 1852 there was a rail on the top step, at the entrance of the presbytery, on which the houseling linen hung.

From Bell's Cathedrals: Wimborne Minster and Christchurch Priory A Short History of Their Foundation and a Description of Their Buildings by Perkins, Thomas, Rev.

Thereafter the priest houselled the King, and he received his Creator, and a little while after his soul departed.

From Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair by Morris, William

He made his will, a generous and charitable one, confessed his sins, was houselled and anhealed, and died on Passion Tuesday, April 6th.

From Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval England by Marson, Charles L. (Charles Latimer)

And as she was confessed and houselled then she died.

From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 2 by Malory, Thomas, Sir

Thereat his voice failed him indeed, and he lay still; but he died not, till presently the priest came to him, and, as he might, houselled him: then he departed.

From Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair by Morris, William

Having spoken these words, he was houselled of the priest, and died in our Lord; and his son gave him fitting burial, and paid him all such service as is meetly required for the dead.

From Aucassin & Nicolette And Other Mediaeval Romances and Legends by Mason, Eugene

So, also, we find the term houselling cloth, meaning a large cloth spread before the people while receiving.

From The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia by Miller, William James

The three ministers had communicated by now; and there was a rustle and clatter of feet as the empty seats in front, hung with houselling cloths, began to be filled.

From By What Authority? by Benson, Robert Hugh

Jean withdrew from the houselling cloth, wondering to be just the same as ever and already disillusioned.

From The Aspirations of Jean Servien by France, Anatole

The King sent for one of his own chaplains that made the squire confess and do his houselling right well.

From The High History of the Holy Graal by Evans, Sebastian

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training