deiseal
English
Alternative forms
- deisal
- deasil
- deisul
- deshil
Etymology
Borrowed from Irish deiseal, from Old Irish dessel, from dess (“right, south”) + sel (“turn”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdjɛʃəl/, /ˈd͡ʒɛʃəl/, /ˈdɛʃəl/, /ˈdɛsəl/
- Rhymes: -ɛʃəl, -ɛsəl
Noun
deiseal (plural deiseals)
- Motion towards the right, in the direction of the hands of a clock or of the apparent motion of the sun (in the northern hemisphere); a turning in this direction.
Adverb
deiseal (not comparable)
- Clockwise; sunwise.
- 1922 James Joyce, Ulysses 366:
- Deshil Holles Eamus.
- 1946, T. F. O'Rahilly, Early Irish History and Mythology, Dublin (1946), pp. 296-297.
- In the eyes of our early forefathers the daily course of the Sun, bringing about the alternation of light and darkness and the regular succession of the seasons, was the most striking example that man had of that divine order of the universe which served as a model for order and justice in terrestrial affairs. Hence to go dessel or righthandwise, thus imitiating the course of the sun, was not only the right way to make a journey, but was likewise beneficial in other affairs of life, and was likely to lead to a prosperous result; whereas to go in the contrary direction (tuaithbel) would be a violation of the established order and would lead to harm.
- 1922 James Joyce, Ulysses 366:
Synonyms
- clockwise
- sunwise
- righthandwise
Antonyms
- widdershins
- withershins
- tuaithbel
Interjection
deiseal
- A deprecation meaning May it go right, said to someone who sneezes or swallows something awry.
- 1794 Statistical Account of Scotland: Perthshire 11.521:
- If a person's meat or drink were to […] come against his breath, they instantly cry out, Deisheal! which is an ejaculation praying that it may go the right way.
- 1794 Statistical Account of Scotland: Perthshire 11.521:
See also
- gesundheit
- bless you
- God bless you
Noun
deiseal
- Alternative form of deasil
- 1814 Walter Scott, Waverley 24:
- The surgeon […] perambulated his couch three times, moving from east to west, according to the course of the sun […] which was called making the deasil.
- 1814 Walter Scott, Waverley 24:
References
- “deiseal”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989, →ISBN.
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “dessel”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Anagrams
- Adelies, aediles, dealies, ædiles
Irish
Etymology
From Old Irish dessel, from dess (“right, south”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdʲɛʃəlˠ/
Adverb
deiseal
- to the right
- clockwise
- sunwise
Antonyms
- tuathal
- tuaithbel
Noun
deiseal m (genitive singular deisil)
- right-hand side (any absolute geographic location on the right, as one faces the rising sun)
- the direction of the sun (from east to west)
Usage notes
As an attributive (in the genitive case), this takes on the meaning right (as opposed to 'left'):
- ar taobh deisil ― on the right side
Declension
Declension of deiseal
First declension
Bare forms (no plural of this noun)
| Forms with the definite article:
|
Derived terms
- deisealán
Interjection
deiseal!
- bless you
Mutation
Irish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
deiseal | dheiseal | ndeiseal |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |