poraille

Middle English

Alternative forms

• porayle

Etymology

From Old French pouraille. See poor.

Noun

poraille

1. Poor people; the poor.
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, “The Frere”, column 2, lines 246–248:

     It is not honeſt, it maye not auaunce / For to deale wyth ſuche porayle / But all wyth ryche and ſellers of vytayle

     It is not honest, it may not advance / To deal with such poor people / But all with rich, and sellers of food