cross aislen.
/ˈkrɒs ˌʌɪl/, U.S. /ˈkrɔs ˌaɪl/ A transept of a church; (later also more generally) any aisle running transversely to the main axis of a building, hall, etc.
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society > faith > artefacts > division of building (general) > transept > [noun]
cross aisle1451
porch1522
transepta1552
plage1593
cross1658
1451 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1855) II. 157 Ad facturam..de lez crosse yles.
1473–4 in H. J. F. Swayne Churchwardens' Accts. Sarum (1896) 15 (MED) Item, in takyng a-downe of the olde beme of the crosse ile, iiij d.
1561 J. Pilkington True Rep. Burnyng Poules sig. Aiii The fall of the Crosse and Egle fired the southe crosse Ile.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Wilts. 144 The Cross Isle of this Church is the most beautifull and lightsome of any I have yet beheld.
1677 in 13th Vol. Wren Soc. (1936) 94 Rubble Work in the ffoundations of the N. & S. Cross Isles.
a1749 G. C. Deering Nottinghamia (1751) 286 St. Oswald's..is in a cross-isle of the cathedral.
1772 S. Denne & W. Shrubsole Hist. Rochester 58 At the entrance of the choir is a great cross isle.
1821 R. Sharp Let. 25 Dec. in Diary (1997) 10 I..made the best of my way to the southern extremity of the Cross Aisle which you know is the place called ‘Poets' Corner’.
1912 T. D. Atkinson Eng. & Welsh Cathedrals 89 In order to avoid blocking the east window..an open space was left between the east wall and the new cross aisle.
1921 L. Taft Technique of Pageantry 117 Two side entrances..connecting by a cross aisle with the main aisle which runs from the east entrance up to the stage.
2003 M. Reilly Contest 84 Hawkins hurried along a cross-aisle until suddenly he was confronted by a wall of bookshelves.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1451