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† ˈfavel, a. and n. Obs.
Forms: 4 fauvel, fawvelle, 5 favel(l)e, (favyll), 6 favell, 4–6 favel.
[a. OF. fauvel, f. fauve fallow-coloured, a. Teut. *falwo-: see fallow a.1
The OF. word had all the uses found in Eng., so that there is no ground for treating sense 3 of the n. as a distinct word, though it is possible that it may have been associated by some ME. writers with OF. favele idle talk, cajolery:—L. fābella, dim. of fābula fable. The phrase ‘to curry Favel’, OF. estriller, torcher Fauvel, comes from the Roman de Fauvel (1310), the hero of which is a counterpart of Reynard the Fox (see P. Paris, MSS. Bibl. du Roi I. 306); it has been adopted in Ger. as den fahlen hengst streichen. It is not clear whether before the date of this poem a ‘fallow’ horse was proverbial as the symbol of dishonesty; the same notion is found in German, ‘to ride the fallow horse’ (den fahlen hengst reiten—recorded from 15th c.) having the sense ‘to play an underhand game, act deceitfully’.]
A. adj. Of a horse: = fallow a.1 (The exact colour denoted by the adj. in early use is uncertain.)
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 33 There came rydynge a messager vpon a horse fauell.
B. n.
1. As the proper name of a fallow-coloured horse.
c1325Coer de L. 2320 Two stedes found the kyng Richard, That one hight Favel, that other Lyarde. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 175 Siþen at Japhet was slayn fauuelle [printed fanuelle] his stede. c1375Morte Arthur 2766 One ffawuelle [printed ffawnelle] of ffryselande to fferaunt he rydys.
2. The fallow horse proverbial as the type of fraud, cunning, or duplicity. Only in phrase to curry favel: see curry v. 5 a.
3. Hence used as a mere personification of cunning or duplicity.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 6 Boþe Fals and Fauuel and al his hole Menye! 1406Hoccleve La Male Regle 223 O thow, fauele, of lesynges auctour. 14..Kyng & Hermit 157 in Hazl. E.P.P. (1864) I. 19 Were I oute of my hermyte wede, Off my favyll I wold not dred. 1522Skelton Why not to Court 92 Favell is false forsworne. 1576R. Edwards Parad. D. Devices (1578) I iij, O favell false, thou traitor borne, what mischief more might thou devise! |