Meaning

(obsolete) An elk..

Definitions by Sense

1. (obsolete) An elk.
2. (rare, heraldry or fantasy) A mythical beast resembling a griffin with no wings, often classified as a male griffin.

Example Sentences

Alces, brought for the nonce out of the great wooddes of Germany.

His creaſt, the beaſt Alce pꝛoper, leaning to an Oke Vert, ſet on a toꝛce de Oꝛ and Gules, mantled Sable, doubled Oꝛ, ſuppoꝛted with a Beuer argent, coloured and vnguled Sable, and an Harpie Vert, Wynged de Oꝛ. The Alce diſcribed foꝛ the creaſt of the ſaid coate Armour, is a wilde Beaſte in the woods of Germany, in faſhion and ſkinne like to a fallowe Déere, but greater, and hath no iointes in his legges: and therefoꝛe he doth neuer lye, but leans to a trée when he doth reſt him.

CAP. XXXI. of Germanie, and the wonderfull byrdes therein, and of the Bugles, Vres, and Alces. wylde Beaſtes. […] There is alſo a beaſt called Alce much reſembling a Mule, with ſuch a long vpper lippe, that he cannot féede but he muſt goe backward. […] OVer againſt Germanie is the Ilande Scandinauia, which bꝛéedeth a beaſt ∗ much reſembling an Alce, which like yͤ Oliphant boweth not the nether ioyntes of his legs, and therefoꝛe lyeth not downe when he ſléepeth, but reſteth himſelfe when he is dꝛowſie, againſt a Trée, the which is ſawne almoſt a ſunder, ready to fall, that when the beaſt leaneth to his accuſtomed ſtaie, he may fall downe: and ſo is hee caught, foꝛ otherwiſe it is a hard matter to catch hym by hand.

Moreover, a certaine beaſt, called the Alce, very like to an horſe, but that his eares are longer; and his necke likewiſe with two markes, diſtinguiſh them aſunder. Moreover, in the Iſland Scandinavia, there is a beaſt called Machlis, not much unlike to the Alce abovenamed: common he is there, and much talk we have heard of him, howbeit in theſe parts hee was never ſeene. Hee reſembleth, I ſay, the Alce, but that hee hath neither joint in the hough, nor paſternes in his hind-legs: and therefore hee never lieth downe, but ſleepeth leaning to a tree.

Maclis, Plin. A beaſt in Scandinavia like to Alce, very ſwift, leaning to a tree when it ſleepeth, and beeing once fallen, cannot lift it ſelfe vp againe.

The alces hide cannot be pierced with cutting.

If you will ſee the Crocodyle, you muſt goe into Egypt; if the Oſtrich, into Barbary or Ethiopia; if the Rhinoceros, you muſt goe into India; if the Alce, vnto Polonia, &c.

The hoof in the Falling ſickneſs is accounted nothing inferiour to the Alce’s. […] Of the brain of an Alce in like manner may an excellent Antepileptick be prepared.

Word Forms

• alces

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When Should You Use Alce?

Use alce when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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