grisli adj. & n.

  grisli
TR2.1695 “Tŏ bén ăvýsĕd bý yŏure réed thĕ béttrĕ –”
TR2.1696 Ănd fónd, ăs háp wăs, át hĭs béddĕs héd
TR2.1697 Thĕ cópĭe óf ă tréty̆s ánd ă léttrĕ
TR2.1698 Thăt Éctŏr hádde hy̆m sént tŏ áxĕn réd
TR2.1699 Ĭf swých ă mán wăs wórthĭ tó bĕn déd,
TR2.1700 Wŏot Í nŏught whó; bŭt ín ă grísly̆ wísĕ
TR2.1701 Hĕ préyĕde hém ănón ŏn ít ăvýsĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998): (I have to speak to you about a matter,) to have the benefit of your advice.’ And by his bed’s head he found, as chance would have it, a copy of a document and a letter that Hector had sent him, to ask his advice about whether such and such a man deserved to die. I do not know who it was, but he grimly asked them to study it at once.
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 貴方がたの忠告を得てもっとよい知恵を出すためなのです。」そして彼は自分のベッドの枕頭で、偶然見つけたように、書類一通と手紙一通を取り出した。それはしかじかの人物が死刑に値するかどうかヘクトールが彼に助言を求めるために送ったものだった。誰のことか私には分からないが、妥協を許さない態度で、彼はすぐに二人にそれについて助言を頼んだ。
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 我想和你们谈一件事,请你们指教:”—他凑巧在床头找到一封文件和赫克多给他的信,问他对于某人(我不知道是谁)认为应否处死;他很严正地请他们一同考虑。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Narrator 
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: behaviour (wise)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive  

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 2. (b) sorrowful, mournful; pitiable (s.v. grislī, adj. & n.)
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 120): grisly wise: grim manner
  • Fisher (1989: 446): grysly wyse: frightening way
  • Benson (1987: 512): grisly wise: grim manner
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963: 125): grisly: terrifying, serious

Possible Definitions

grim; frightening, terrifying; sorrowful

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘ded’ (adj., Tr2.1699).