kitling Now dial.
(ˈkɪtlɪŋ)
Forms: 3 kiteling, 4 keetlyng, 5 kytylyng, cytlyng, 5–6 kytling, -lyng(e, 6 kytlyn, kitlyng, -linge, Sc. -lyne, 6–7 ketlyng, -ling, 6–9 kitlin, -ling, kittling, 7–9 -lin, 8 Sc. -len.
[Commonly identified with ON. kettling-r, ketling-r (Norw. kjetl{iacu}ng) kitten, dim. of kǫttr (stem kattu); though the form of the earliest Eng. instance, and the fact that the sense is not confined to ‘young cat’ make difficulties. But if from OE., the form would be *cyteling, of which no explanation appears.]
† 1. The young of any animal; a cub, a whelp.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter lvi. 5 Þe kitelinges of liouns. 1382 Wyclif Deut. xxxiii. 22 Dan, keetlyng of a lyon. c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. lix. 243 (Harl. MS.) Thenne saide the sarpent, ‘I am a beste, and I have her in myn hole kytlingis, that I have browt forthe’. c 1450 [see kitten 1 b, quot. 1495]. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 218 They [sea-weasels or sea-dogs] breed their young whelpes or kitlings alive within their bellies, and when they list, let them foorth. |
2. A young cat, a kitten. Now dial.
| a 1530 Johan & Tyb (Brandl) 591, I haue sene the day that pus my cat Hath had in a yere kytlyns eyghtene. 1530 [see kittle v.2 1]. 1605 B. Jonson Volpone v. xi, Whether goe you, now?..to drowne kitlings? 1783 Johnson Let. to Miss S. Thrale 18 Nov., Bickerstaff..gives..an account of his cat. I could tell you as good things of Lily the white Kitling. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Kitling, a young cat. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet 187 I'm ower auld a Pussy Bawdrons to learn new tricks o' sayin' ‘miauw’ to the kittlins. |
† 3. Applied to a person; either = child, offspring (cf. cub, whelp); or as resembling or acting like a kitten in some way. Obs.
| 1541 Aberd. Reg. XVII. (Jam.) Calling of him theiff..howris geyt, preistis kitlyne. 1621 Fletcher Wild-Goose Chase iv. iii, Out, kittlings! What catterwauling's here! 1702 De Foe Good Advice to Ladies 84 Come, says the patient Kitling, Husband come. a 1745 Swift Wks. (1841) II. 59 Bid your mistress go hang herself..you whore's kitling. |
B. attrib. or adj. Resembling a kitten or that of a kitten; inexperienced; diminutive.
| 1604 Middleton Father Hubbards T. Wks. 1840 V, Like an old cunning bowler to fetch in a young ketling gamester. 1648 Herrick Hesper., Oberon's Feast, His kitling eyes. 1689 Philopolites Grumblet. Crew 3 A new Oath of Allegiance..which every Kitling Critic..takes upon him to censure. |