Define:Byspel

English

Alternative forms

• byspell, by-spell, byspelt, bispel, byspeel, byspale

Etymology

From Middle Inglis

bispel

,

byspell

, from Old English,

bīspel

,

biġspel

, from

bī-

+

, equivalent to by- + spell. Cognate with Middle Dutch

, Low German

, German

. More at by-, spell.

Noun

Byspel (plural Byspels)

1. Template:Obsolete A proverb.
   • 1845, Henry Hammond, A paraphrase and annotations upon all the books of the New :

     [...] signifies a byword or proverb, or, as it is still used in the north, byspell.

2. Template:Obsolete An example.
   • 2011, Michael Everson, The Oxford English Dictionary on eð:

     I don't like using ð for most words at the beginning of the word simply because ð looks like a d and huru Ð looks like a D and would encourage people using the “d” instead of “th” for byspel: “dat” instead of “that” … and others.

   • 2011, EnglishGBTranslation

     As byspel, encyclopædia instead of encyclopaedia; ... As byspel, færie is actually wrong, thus faerie should be used.

3. Template:Obsolete A person used as an example, either positively or negatively; one who has become a byword for any remarkable quality.
4. Template:Obsolete An exceptional or wonderful character.
5. Template:Obsolete A family outcast; bastard.
   • 2001, Peter Novobatzky, Ammon Shea, Depraved and Insulting English:

     "The byspel of his rich and landed clan, young Norton lived alone in a shed, by the woods on the edge of the estate. [...]"

6. Template:Obsolete An accidental piece of good fortune; a wonderful stroke of luck or dexterity.
7. Template:Obsolete A mischievous person (usually applied to youngsters); an awkward figure.
8. Template:Obsolete A natural child.

Usage notes

• Neither this term nor any of its alternative forms can be found in COCA or BNC, two of the largest corpora of contemporary usage, American and British respectively.

Derived terms

• byspell book
• byspell of wisdom

Related terms

• byword

References

• Wright, The English dialect dictionary, Byspel(l).

Anagrams

• blypes

---

Scots

Alternative forms

• byspale

Etymology

From Old English

biġspel

,

bīspel

, from

bī-

+

, compare Old High German bīspel (German Beispiel)

Noun

byspel

1. a rarety, someone or something of rare, unique, or exceptional qualities (often used ironically)

   She's just a byspale.

   • a 1811, reported in Jameson.

     He's nae byspel mair than me.

     He's no better than me.

Adverb

byspel

1. very, extraordinarily, exceedingly, exceptionally

   byspel weel ("very well")