head-rail
, head + rail.
Searchable Lemmata: heafodhrægel (OE), head-rail (MdE).
Alternate Forms: heafodhrægl.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1(n.)
Garment;
some kind of ecclesiastical garment. In the OE glosses on the Life of Cuthbert, equated with orarium (q.v.) 'ecclesiastical cloth, vestment', in the context of describing the healing properties of the saint's clothing. In another text, equated with the poderes (q.v.), a garment reaching to the feet.(ante 1100)
2. Si sequeris iustitiam apprehendes illam et indues quasi poderem honorem gif þu fyligst rihtwisnysse þu gegripst hi & þu ondest swylce heafudhrægel wyrðscype.
[DOE LibSc (066700 (14.29))]
Sex: Male Use: Ecclesiastical Status: High Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2(n.)
Furnishing;
in the Old English glosses on the Benedictine Rule, the context suggests that the word refers to cloth used as a pillow; in the Old English translation of the rule, the word heafodbolster (q.v.; 'head-bolster') is used in the same place.(ante 1100)
1. Stramenta autem lectorum sufficiant matta et sagum lena et capitulæ bedreaf bedda genihtsumiað & hwitel & wesline & heafudrægel.
Gloss.
[DOE BenRGl (0491 (55.93.2))]
c.f.: bedbolster,
bolster,
cervical,
cervicarium,
gobennydd,
head-rail,
pillow,
plumacius,
pulvillus,
pulvinar,
wanger
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, compound of heafod 'head' + hrægel 'garment' (see rail 1). The exact semantic link between this origin and present sense 1 is not entirely clear, unless 'heafod' is being used in the metaphorical sense of 'chief'. Sense 2 is more directly related to the etymology, and is perhaps an independent coining using the same elements.
The modern English headword in OED is a readoption of the term by scholarly works in the nineteenth century, in discussion of Anglo-Saxon dress.
WF: Compound
Etym Cog:
References:
