assoil

English

Etymology

Anglo-Norman assoiler, from the tonic stem of Old French asoldre (modern absoudre), from Latin absolvere, present active infinitive of absolvō (“absolve”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈsɔɪl/

Verb

assoil (third-person singular simple present assoils, present participle assoiling, simple past and past participle assoiled)

1. (transitive, archaic) To absolve, acquit; to release from blame or sin.
2. (archaic) To set free, release.
   • 1590, Edmund Spendser, The Faerie Queene, I.x:

     But first thou must a season fast and pray, / Till from her bands the spright assoiled is [...].

Related terms

• assoilzie