HOUSEL

housel, the english name, until the time of the reformation, for the eucharist. the word in o. eng. was _husel_. its proper meaning is "sacrifice," and thus the word _hunsl_ appears in ulfilas' gothic version of matt. ix. 13, "i will have mercy and not sacrifice." the ultimate origin is doubtful. the _new english dictionary_ connects it with a teutonic stem meaning "holy"; from which is derived the lithuanian _szwentas_, and lettish _swets_. skeat refers it to a root meaning "to kill," which may connect it with gr. [greek: kainein].