fasel

From Middle English faselen (“to fray”), from fasel (“frayed”, adj) and fasel (“a frayed edge or border, fringe”, noun), probably a diminutive of Middle English fas (“fringe”), from Old English fæs (“fringe”). Compare Dutch vezel (“fibre, filament”), German faseln (“to ravel out, ramble”). Doublet of pizzle.

• fasyll, fazle

fasel (third-person singular simple present fasels, present participle faseling or faselling, simple past and past participle faseled or faselled)

1. (obsolete, dialectal) To unravel or become frayed.
   • 1530, John Palsgrove, Lesclarcissement de la Langue Francoyse, Paris: Imprimerie nationale, page 546:

     My sleve is fasylled: ma manche est rauelée.

   • 1885, “A New Kind of Patchwork”, in Little Folks: A Magazine for the Young, London: Cassel, page 67:

     The edges of those pieces which seem inclined to fazzle out must be turned in, and tacked also to the sheeting.

2. (obsolete, figuratively) To become confused or ravelled.
   • 1636, Thomas Goodwin, A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, London: J. G., page 89:

     […] which hath fazled and entangled this Controverſie.

fasel (plural fasels)

1. Obsolete form of phasel.
   • 1844, Paul d'Égine, translated by Francis Adams, The Seven books of Paulus Aegineta, London: Syndeham Society, page 125:

     Tares and fasels, having been previously macerated in water so as to shoot out roots, are laxative of the bowels when taken before a meal with sauce; and are more nutritious than the fenugreek.

• “fasel, v.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “fasel, n.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

• A.S.L.E.F., FALSE, Leafs, alefs, false, feals, fleas, leafs, lefsa