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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:

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 Charlotte Mary Yonge

He'll wed ye and housel ye for a couple of roses.

From The Forest Lovers by Maurice Henry Hewlett

‘Now give me mood,’ Robin said to Little John, ‘Give me mood with thy hand; I trust to God in heaven so high My housel will me bestand.’

From Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Fourth Series by Frank Sidgwick

In this life we require bread, and instruction, and partaking of the housel.

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 Abbot of Eynsham Aelfric

It is the people's wont, after the housel, to go up step by step to the vessel, and taste the heavenly fluid.

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 Abbot of Eynsham Aelfric

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

From Northumberland Yesterday and To-day by Jean F. (Jean Finlay) Terry

To be houseled: to receive the holy sacrament; from Anglo- Saxon, "husel;" Latin, "hostia," or "hostiola," the host.

From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by D. Laing Purves

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 Sir Thomas Malory

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 M. I. (Maud Isabel) Ebbutt

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 Abbot of Eynsham Aelfric

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 Edric Holmes

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 Rev. Thomas Perkins

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 Rev. Thomas Perkins

And as she was confessed and houselled then she died.

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

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 Charles L. (Charles Latimer) Marson

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 Eugene Mason

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 William Morris

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 William Morris

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 Robert Hugh Benson

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 William James Miller

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 Sebastian Evans

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

From The Aspirations of Jean Servien by Anatole France

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