Sile

From Middle English syle, from Old English sȳl ("column, pillar, support"), from Proto-Germanic *sūliz ("beam, post, column, pillar"), Proto-Indo-European *ḱsewl-, *ḱswel- ("log"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱsew-, *ḱes- ("to scratch, comb"). Cognate with Dutch zuil ("pillar"), German Säule ("column, pillar"), Norwegian sul ("pillar"), Icelandic súla ("column"), Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌻𐍃 (sauls, "pillar").

Alternative forms

• syle, cyle Scotland

Full definition of sile

Noun

1. (now chiefly dialectal) A column; pillar.
2. (now chiefly dialectal) A beam; rafter; one of the principal rafters of a building.
3. (now chiefly dialectal) The foot or lower part of a couple or rafter; base.
4. (now chiefly dialectal) A roof rafter or couple, usually one of a pair.

From Middle English silen, sylen, from Middle Low German silen

Low German silen, sielen}, equivalent to sie + -le. Cognate with German sielen ("let off water, filter"), Swedish sila ("to strain, filter, sift"), German Siel ("drain, sewer, sluice").

Verb

1. (transitive, UK dialectal) To strain, as milk; pass through a strainer or anything similar; filter.
2. (intransitive, UK dialectal) To flow down; drip; drop; fall; sink.
3. (intransitive, UK dialectal) To settle down; calm or compose oneself.
4. (intransitive, UK dialectal) To go; pass.
5. (intransitive, UK dialectal) To boil gently; simmer.
6. (intransitive, UK dialectal, Northern England) To pour with rain.

Noun

1. A sieve.
2. A strainer or colander for liquids;
3. That which is sifted or strained, hence, settlings; sediment; filth.

From Middle English *sile, from Old Norse síl ("herring"), from Proto-Germanic *sīlą, *sīlō ("herring"), of unknown origin. Cognate with Icelandic síld ("herring"), Norwegian and Danish sild ("herring"), dialectal Swedish sil ("young fish, fry"). Compare sild.

Noun

1. A young herring.

Derived terms

• sillock

Anagrams

• isle
• leis
• lies
• Lise