spell

Meaning

1. story

   Sæġe mē spell be hrānum.

   Tell me a story about reindeer.

2. news

   Þæt forme sċip ġesōhte land and ġebodode þæt eġeslīċe spell.

   The first ship reached land and announced the terrible news.

   late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

3. prose or a work of prose

   Þā hē þās bōc hæfde ġeleornode and of Lǣdene tō Engliscum spelle ġewende, þā ġeworhte hē hīe eft tō lēoðe.

   When King Alfred had studied this book and translated it from Latin verse into English prose, he converted it back into verse.

   late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

4. argument

   Iċ onġiete þæt iċ þē hæbbe āþrotenne mid þȳ langan spelle, for þon þē lyst nū lēoða.

   I see I've bored you with that long argument, since you want poems now.

   late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

Declension