oyle

See also: öyle and öylə

Middle English

Alternative forms

• oil, oylle, olie, oli, eoli, eoyle, olige, oyll, uile, oile, oyl

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman olie and Old French oile, from Latin oleum, from Ancient Greek ἔλαιον (élaion). Compare olyve.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈui̯l(ə)/, /ˈuli(ə)/

Noun

oyle (plural oyles)

1. The oil pressed from olives; olive oil:
   1. As used in frying things in a pan.
   2. As used in pharmaceuticals, medicaments, or remedies.
   3. As used to power lamps or flames.
   4. As used in cosmetics or personal grooming products.
   5. As used to set alight and injure enemies.
2. Oil as used in spiritual contexts:
   1. Oil as used in religious ceremonies or events.
   2. Oil as a symbol of salvatory power; salvatory power.
   3. The oil of saints; a substance exuding from saintly relics.
   4. (rare) A name for Jesus.
3. Any kind of oil or an oily material (liquid fat).
4. Convincing or favourable words (compare Modern English butter up)
5. (alchemy) An alchemical essence or extract.

Usage notes

Terms indicating the type of oil are usually formed by adding of (thing[s]) after oyle; e.g. oyle of olyves (in contrast to the usual pattern in Modern English as in olive oil).

Derived terms

• oyler

Descendants

• English: oil
• Scots: ile, uilie, ulie

References

• “oil(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 11 September 2018.