Etymology Dictionary

ANNEAL,  to temper by heat.  ((1) E.; (2) F.,—L.)   Two distinct words have here been confused.   1. The word was originally applied to metals, in which case it was English, and denoted rather the heating of metals than the tempering process by gradual cooling.   This is the M.E. anelen, to inflame, kindle, heat, melt, burn.   Gower, C. A. iii. 96, speaks of a meteoric stone, which the fire 'hath aneled [melted] Lich unto slyme, which is congealed.'   Wyclif, Isaiah, xvi. 7 has 'anelid tyil' as a translation of Lat. cocti lateris.   Earlier, the word means simply 'to burn' or 'inflame.'   Thus, in O. Eng. Homilies, ed. Morris, p. 219, the word seraphim is explained to mean 'birninde other anhelend' [better spelt anelend] = burning or kindling; and again, at p. 97, it is said that the Holy Ghost 'onealde eorthlicen monnan heortan' = inflamed earthly men's hearts.—A.S. onælan, to burn, kindle, Grein, ii. 339; a compound verb.—A.S. on, prefix (answering to mod. E. prep. on); and ælan, to burn, Grein, i. 55.   Cf. Icel. eldr, Swed. eld, Dan. ild, fire; corresponding to A.S. æled, fire, a derivative of ælan, to burn.—✔AL, to burn; Fick, i. 500, who ingeniously compares Skt. ar-una, tawny, ar-usha, tawny; with the suggestion that these words may have meant originally 'fiery.'   2. But in the fifteenth century, a very similar word was introduced from the French, having particular reference to the fixing of colours upon glass by means of heat.   This is the M.E. anelen, to enamel glass.   Thus Palsgrave has 'I aneel a potte of erthe or suche lyke with a coloure, je plomme.'   The word was also applied to the enamelling of metal, and is probably meant in the entry in the Prompt. Parv. at p. 11; 'Anelyn or enelyn metalle, or other lyke.'   The initial a- is either the French prefix a- (Lat. ad), or may have been merely due to the influence of the very similar native word.—O.F. neeler, nieler, to enamel; orig. to paint in black upon gold or silver.—Low Lat. nigellare, to blacken.—Lat. nigellus, blackish; dimin. of niger, black.   Probably connected with Aryan nak, night; Fick, i. 123.   ¶ There is yet a third word not unlike these two, which appears in 'unaneled,' i.e. not having received extreme unction; Hamlet, i. 5. 77.   This is from A.S. onelan, to put oil upon; from A.S. on, prefix, and ele, oil; see Oil.