chenet (dim. of chieti)^ properly so called ; as we find men-
tion of " andier k trois chenets " when the upright branched
off into three heads. The A.S. name of the implement
was brand isen, corresponding to which Kilian has ^^ brand-
ijser, instrumentum ferreum quod in foco ligna sustinet."
But in a kitchen fireplace the upright support carried a
rack in front for the spit to turn in, and this part of the
framework was known in Du. by the name of wend-ijser
{wenden, to turn), although it was also included under the
general name of brandijser, applied to the entire imple-
ment. ^^ Brand-ijser^ wend-ijser ^ crateuterium, ferrum in
quo veru vertitur." — Kilian. And that this rack, as well as
the horizontal support of the logs, was included under the
name of andier or andiron, is shown by a passage of the
Catholicon Armoricum, quoted by Ducange : " Lander^
Gall., landiery Lat. verutentum (spit-holder); item haec



ANVIL. 5

andena^^ Now, if we look at the variety of the Latinised
names (andeda, andela^ andena, andcra^ andrea^ andegula^
angeduld) cited by Diefenbach, we shall easily believe that
andier^ from wend-ijser^ is not beyond the limits of probable
corruption in the mouth of those to whom the elements of
the Flemish word had no meaning. The word, however,
must have come to us through the French, because the
initial w would never have been lost if we had had it direct
from the Du. wend-ijser,

ANVIL. — A.S. anfilte^ onfilt ; O.E. anvelt, anfeld. Ex-
plained by Skeat from A.S. fyllan^ Icel. fella^ to fell, to
strike down, the causal oifalL Fella, according to Cleasby
and Vigfusson, signifies to fell, to make to fit, diXid fella jdm
is used by blacksmiths in the sense of working iron into bars.
