Middle English

edit

Adverb

edit

yfele

  1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of yvel (evilly)

Old English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

yfel +‎ -e

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /ˈy.fe.le/, [ˈy.ve.le]

Adverb

edit

yfele (comparative wiers, superlative wierrest)

  1. badly
    • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History
      Līfes bōc and þrōwunge Sancte Anastase martyre, sēo wæs yfele of Crēċisċe on Lǣden ġehwierfdu and ġīet wiers fram sumum unġetȳdum ġeryhtu, iċ ġeryhte swā swā iċ meahte.
      A book on the life and passion of Saint Anastasius, which was poorly translated from Greek to Latin by some illiterate person and then revised even worse, I corrected as well as I could.
  2. evilly, wickedly

Synonyms

edit

Descendants

edit
  • Middle English: yvel, evel, uvel
    • English: evil (obsolete)