limbmeal

English

Alternative forms

• limb-meal, limb meal

Etymology

From Middle English lymmele, limmel, from Old English limmǣlum (“limbmeal, limb by limb”); equivalent to limb +‎ -meal.

Adverb

limbmeal (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Into pieces; limb from limb.
   • 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

     O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!

   • 1677, Edward Bury, England’s Bane, or, The Deadly Danger of Drunkenness‎^[1], London: Thomas Parkhurst, page 16:

     […] they deal with Christ as a Kennel of Hounds do with an Hare, pluck him to pieces, wound and tear him, what in them lies, limb meal, neither his Blood, nor his Wounds, nor his Head, nor his Heart, nor any other part shall escape, and they even dare Vengeance it self […]

   • 1890, John Payne (translator), The Novels of Matteo Bandello Bishop of Agen, London: The Villon Society, Volume 5, Part 3, Story 24, pp. 323-324,^[2]

     Such was the end of that vile and wicked woman, worthy of a more cruel death and to be torn of dogs limbmeal.