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wassel (c.1180)
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The form gaciaus is a cross reference to the following entry:

wassel (c.1180)

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gaciel,  gascel,  gassel;  vasel,  vassel;  wacel,  wascel,  wasel,  wassal,  wasseu, 
pl. gaciaus,  gasceaus,  gasceous,  gasseaus;  vaseus,  vassés,  vasseus,  waceus,  waxiaus,  wasceus,  waseus,  waseys,  wasseaus,  wasseus,  wassheux  (woseus  TLL ii 61)  
  FEW:  *wattja 17,550a Gdf:  gacel 4,199b GdfC: ∅ TL: gascel 4,198 DEAF:  gacel G21 DMF: ∅ TLF: ∅ OED: ∅ MED: ∅ DMLBS: ∅

Despite formal similarity with Middle English washel n. (‘water source used for bathing’) and consequently Latin washellus (‘watercourse, stream, pool’, DMLBS 3733c), a connection between these forms and wassel has not been suggested (see DEAF), although some influence cannot be excluded. The apparent Middle English equivalent, borrowed from Anglo-Norman, is, with a change of suffix, gasein n. (‘slough, bog, puddle’).

A diminutive form, not attested in Anglo-Norman, is listed in DMF gacelet ('small marsh'; see also Gdf gacelet 4,199b) and T-L gascelet 4,198). The form wachas ('marsh', Gdf 8,319a) may also be related.

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s.

geog. bog, marsh, water-logged area: 
( c.1180; MS: s.xiii2 )  (says the frog) En mi cel pré en un wascel fussums ore, que mut est bel: la est la meie mansiun  MARIE Fables 58.37
( s.xiiex; MS: c.1335 )  ) Si fort l'en ad feru del pié Ke en la bowe (var. (K: s.xiii4/4) en un wassal ) est il versé  Amis 1002 (var.)
( c.1285; MS: c.1312 )  E si forage demeort outre la sustenance de vostre estor, le facez estramer dedenz la curt e dehors en wasseaus  HENLEY2 326.c65
( MS: s.xii/xiii )  tesqua: (T) vassés (var. (C: s.xiiiex) wasceus;  (D: s.xiii/xiv) wasseus;  (L: s.xiiiex) waseus;  (O: s.xii/xiii) waseus )  TLL ii 37.76
( MS: s.xiii2 )  palustris: waseus  TLL i 63
( MS: s.xiii2 )  tesqua gallice gasceous .s. Ioca in quibus aqua stat putrefecta  TLL i 209.68
♦ archit. moat: 
( MS: s.xii/xiii )  circumluvio: (O) le wase[l] (var. (D: s.xii/xi) un wassel;  (L: s.xiiex) wasel )  TLL ii 40.79
( MS: s.xii/xiii )  colluvio (O) de wasel (var. (D: s.xiii/xiv) wassel;  (L: s.xiiiex) wasel )  TLL ii 40.80

[KJ]

This is an AND2 Phase 6 (T-Z) entry. © 2022-25 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. All rights reserved. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
gaciaus