▪ I. ˈnuzzle, n. rare.
[f. next.]
An act of nuzzling; a rub with the nose.
| a 1890 Mind in Nature I. 142 (Cent.), Horses, cows, deer, and dogs even, nuzzle each other; but then a nuzzle, being performed with the nose, is not a kiss. |
▪ II. nuzzle, v.1
(ˈnʌz(ə)l)
Forms: α. 5 nosele, 6 nosyll, 6, 8 nosle, 9 nozzle. β. 6–7 nousle. γ. 6–7 nusle, 7–8 nussle (6 nuszle), 7 nuzzel, 7–8 nuzle, 6– nuzzle.
[f. nose n. + -le 3; perh. originally suggested by the adv. noseling, but cf. Du. neuzelen (Kilian neuselen), G. nus(s)eln, nüs(s)eln, nös(s)eln, Sw. dial. nössla to poke with the nose, to snuffle, to speak through the nose. For the variation in the forms cf. next.]
I. intr.
† 1. To bring the nose towards the ground; to grovel. Obs. rare.
| c 1425 St. Elizabeth of Spalbeck in Anglia VIII. 109/2 Sche noseles downe forwarde and wonderly crokes her body. |
2. To burrow or dig with the nose; to thrust the nose into the ground or anything lying on it.
| 1530 Palsgr. 645/1, I nosyll, as a swyne dothe in the yerth with her groyne, je fouille du museau. 1575 Turberv. Venerie 156 The male pigges..will nouzle and turne up the grounde tenne or twelve paces further of..than the females do. 1595 Spenser Col. Clout 763 In pleasures wastefull well..like moldwarps nousling still they lurke. 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme vii. xxviii. 854 The wilde bore..willingly followeth one furrowe, nusling all along the ridge vntill he come to the ende of it. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d' Alf. ii. 51 This Bore one of the Groomes found Nuzzling in the litter,..turning it all topsie-turvy. 1707 tr. Wks. C'tess D'Anois (1715) 440 She trotted away grunting and nuzling with her Snout. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 347 It was not made to entice the smell of a mole, nuzzling and burying himself in his mother earth. 1814 Scott Wav. lxiv, Davie all this while lay with his nose almost in the fire, nuzzling among the ashes. 1866 J. B. Rose tr. Ovid's Met. 61 Mingling with steers and nuzzling in the grass. 1889 T. Hardy Mayor Casterbr. v, Like sows nuzzling for acorns. |
b. In fig. use, with along.
| 1713 Arbuthnot John Bull ii[i]. vii, Sir Roger shook his Ears, and nuzled along, well-satisfied within himself that he was doing a charitable Work. |
3. To poke or push with the nose in or into something. Also fig.
| 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 1115 And nousling in his flanke the louing swine Sheath'd vnaware the tuske in his soft groine. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iv. 305 A heavy Abbey Lubber! Whose Head was always nuzzling in the Cubber'd! 1750 S. Jenyns Mod. Fine Lady Wks. 1790 I. 73 Th' embroider'd colonel flatters with a sneer, And the cropt ensign nuzzles in her ear. 1812 W. Tennant Anster F. ii. viii, The bev'rage wherein fiddlers like to nuzzle. 1847 Youatt Horse vii. 150 If a pail of good gruel is placed within his reach, how will he nuzzle in it. 1899 Pall Mall Mag. Feb. 262 ‘Hut, you beast!’ he added,..when the mare nuzzled into his neck. |
b. To keep the nose pressing at or about, to press or rub the nose against, something.
With against the sense approximates to 4 b.
| 1603 [see nudgel v.]. 1657 G. Thornley Daphnis & Chloe 125 The Lambs riggle and nussle at their dugs. 1726 Swift Gulliver iv. ii, Carrying them on their Backs, nuzzling with their Face against the Mother's Shoulders. 1855 Stephens Bk. Farm (ed. 2) I. 654/1 Every pig takes its own place, and nuzzles at the udder with the teat held in the mouth. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xviii, [The sharks] are nuzzling already at my toes! 1892 Kipling Barrack-room Ballads, East & West 65 The red mare ran to the Colonel's son, and nuzzled against his breast. |
| transf. 1894 R. Le Gallienne Prose Fancies 188, I could see the boat nuzzling up against the pier. |
c. Of dogs: To snuff or poke with the nose.
| 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life ii. xix, A large bulldog..who keeps up a stifled growl with his muzzle nuzzling about your calf. 1834 Sir H. Taylor Artevelde ii. iv. iv, Sanxere Came nuzzling like a dog to find some flesh Whereon to fix. 1879 Browning Ivan Ivanovitch 183 Nuzzling now with snout, Now ripping, tooth and claw. |
d. To poke with the fingers. rare.
| 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life xii. xxvii, The dull..sound..in your ears..which all your tweaking, nuzzling, and rummaging at them, serves only to increase. 1860 O. W. Holmes Prof. Breakf.-t. viii, [The Professor] feels thorax and arm, and nuzzles round among muscles as those horrid old women poke their fingers into the salt-meat on the provision-stalls. |
4. To nestle, to lie snug in bed, etc.
| 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. B iij b, Twixt the sheete and pillow I nuzled in, joyn'd knees and chin together. 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iv. viii. 217 At Cock-crowing he takes his bed, and there nuzzles till Hesperus cramps him by the toes. 1685 Cotton tr. Montaigne III. 450 Was not this to nustle and settle himself to sleep at greater ease? 1878 Jefferies Gamekeeper at H. 2 The ferret is a shivery creature, and likes nothing so well as to nozzle down in a coat-pocket with a little hay. |
| fig. 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 14 The Lord saw cowldnes and backwardnes in religion, by nuszling to depely in the world. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xx. ccx, Th' abstrusest things Which in the Mind's dark Temper nuzling lie, By you exposed are to every eye. a 1658 Cleveland The Times 48 Wks. (1687) 240 Thus Tyranny's a stately Palace, where Ambition sweats to climb and nustle there. |
b. To nestle on or close to some part of a person. Also refl.
| 1611 A. Stafford Niobe dissolv'd 199 [Wisdom] nuzzleth her selfe in his bosom, cherisheth his soule. 1637 Heywood Pleas. Dial. v. Wks. 1874 VI. 201 Will your rest Seeme sweeter, if I nuzzle on your brest? a 1652 Brome Novella iii. i, To Kisse the hand,.. and then embrace, Then nuzzle in the Elizium of your bosome! 17.. Henley Mirope in Galt Rothelan (1824) iii. iv, That artless homage, Which the fond infant to his mother paid, Smiling and nuzzling, hanging to her bosom. 1752 F. Coventry Pompey the Little (ed. 3) 135 In this agreeable situation nuzzling behind the back of a lousy drab. a 1849 H. Coleridge Poems (1850) II. 270 Free to nuzzle and to nest In the sweet valley of her breast. 1894 Hall Caine Manxman 14 Pete nuzzled up to Philip's side. |
c. To lie, or otherwise associate, close together, or with another. Also fig.
| 1708 Brit. Apollo No. 104. 3/1 He was nuzzled together with a Doxy. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) IV. 322 No Pigs in a Stye..E'er nussled so close, Or more amourous together. 1742 Jarvis Don Quix. i. iv. xlvi, If she were so, she would not be nuzzling at every turn and in every corner with a certain person in the company. 1883 Sat. Review 15 Dec. 752 The theory which bids the greatest of all kingdoms huddle and nuzzle with the trumpery republics of yesterday. |
II. trans.
5. a. To root up with the nose or snout; to push aside with the nose. rare.
| 1613 Answ. Uncasing of Machiavel G j b, Swine eats the flowres, then nusles vp the roote. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. viii. 1105 Gods herbs of grace To nouzle up; his Vineyard to deface. 1764 Nat. Hist. in Ann. Reg. 87/2 The sheep industriously nosled it aside to bite a blade. |
b. To touch or rub with the nose.
| 1812 W. Tennant Anster F. iii. xxxvii, Nuzzling the nasty ground obsequiously. 1883 Longman's Mag. Dec. 200 The vicious animal..began to ‘nuzzle’ me with his nose and prehensile upper lip. 1891 Kipling Light that Failed (1900) 16 Twenty whale-boats were nuzzling a sand-bank. |
6. To thrust in (the nose or head).
| 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. 59 The Dogge nusling his nose vnder the necke of the Deare. 1683 Phil. Trans. XIII. 133 It nuzzles its head so deep in the coats of the intestines. 1860 All Year Round No. 37. 258 Some of the wretches were nuzzling their gory heads in the scooped-out stomach. 1892 Symonds Life in Swiss Highl. vi. 132 Six stalwart horses..nuzzling their noses to the brimful stalls. |
7. ‘To put a ring into the nose, as of a hog’ (Ogilvie, 1850).
Hence ˈnuzzling ppl. a.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. xi. 32 Mole, that like a nousling Mole doth make His way still under ground, till Thamis he overtake. |
▪ III. nuzzle, v.2 Now rare.
(ˈnʌz(ə)l)
Forms: α. 6 nosyll, -el (6–7 -ell), nossel, noz(z)el, nozle. β. 6 nowsel, nousel(l, 6–7 nousle, nouzle, nouzel(l. γ. 6 noosell (6–7 -el), noozel, noozle. δ. 6 nusell, 6–7 nussel, nus(s)le. ε. 6–7 nuz(z)el, -ell, nuzle, 6– nuzzle.
[Of obscure origin. The identity of the forms with those of the prec. verb make it possible that this also is f. nose n., but the connexion of sense is not clear. In sense 2 the word had great vogue from about 1530 to 1650.]
† 1. trans. To accustom (a dog or hawk) to attack other animals or birds. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 645/1, I nosyll a yonge thing, I bolden it fyrst to do, or enterprise a thynge, where afore it wanteth boldnesse, Je apprime. I have nosylled my yonge dogge to daye at a beare, he is made for ever. 1575 Turberv. Faulconrie 126 If you woulde nousel or enter a haggarde, then do not enter hir or sette hir in bloude upon a yong praye or inure hir thereto. 1618 Latham Falconry (1633) 96 Let her kill some two or three more..; it will so nuzzell her, as that shee wil not after misse the wilde Rooke or any other thing. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. xi. 239/2 Nowsell, to entize or inure the Hawk to love to fly at her Prey. |
† 2. To train, educate, nurture (a person) in some opinion, habit, etc. Freq. with up. Obs.
| α 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 86 It were more a vauntage..that yonge childrens wyttis were other wyse sette a warke than nossel them in suche errour. 1545 Brinklow Compl. 60 Thus for lukers sake the greasy canonistes nosel the peple in idolatory. a 1600 Hooker Answ. Travers' Suppl. §26, I take no ioy in striuing, I haue not beene nozled or trayned vp in it. |
| β 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 587/1 Some be so sore nowseled in the false heresies,..y{supt} finally thei die therin. 1579 J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf D j, Her father will nousell her in hys own religion. 1612 T. James Corrupt. Scripture iv. 98 To humor their Nouices, and nousle them vp in this fond conceit. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. vii. 374 The infirmities of people, long nouzled in ignorance and superstition, and incapable of a sudden..alteration. |
| γ c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 214 The Danes..weare all readie nooseled in the sweetenesse of the soyle. 1591 Savile Tacitus, Hist. iv. lxxii. 225 To noosell his souldiers in licentiousness and cruelty. 1606 J. Carpenter Solomon's Solace xxviii. 118 The man which hath beene long nooseled vp in vices, will..onely with much adoe leaue them. |
| δ 1553 Bale Vocacyon in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 337 Thus were the people nusled vp from their yowth, in calling vpon dead men, and ymages. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. i. (1879) 54 Thei must needs be a nice and curious people who are thus nusseled up in such daintie attyre. 1652–62 Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1682) 202 Natural Indians, nusled in Paganism. 1686 W. de Britaine Hum. Prud. iii. 12 The ends of the Common People, if nusled up in Factious Liberty, are much different from the Designs of Soveraign Princes. |
| ε 1587 Holinshed Chron. III. 1225/2 Being an English⁓man by birth, and from his infancie..nuzled in papistrie. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres v. i. 169 One that had bene nuzled vp in warre euen from a child. 1642 J. Ball Answ. to Can ii. 18 The ordaining of ignorant ministers..the meanes to nuzzle people in ignorance. 1669 W. Simpson Hydrol. Chym. 213 The people may no longer be nuzzled up in the expectation. |
† b. refl. (Const. as prec.) Obs.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John xi. 79 Wherein we haue long tyme nusseled our selues. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 88/1 He that will cherishe and nousell vp him selfe in wickednesse. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 80 The diuell helping them forward with many shifts to nouzell themselues in ignorance. 1642 Rogers Naaman 49 Doubtlesse he meanes they shall nuzzle up themselves in a dead senselesse estate. Ibid. 140 That they might nouzle up themselves the more unsuspectedly in their secret uncleannesse. |
† c. With other constructions (esp. with). Obs.
| 1530 Tindale Pract. Prelates H ij, His mynde was to..kepe him without a wife that..he might haue bene noselled and entangled with hores. 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. c vij b, Nooseld of my nurce neuer too be spare of spech. a 1591 H. Smith Serm. (1637) 228 They are so nousled to the world and acquainted with sinne. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. i. i. ii. (1651) 655 Possessed with blinde zeal, and nusled with superstition. 1689 Hickeringill Modest Inquiries ii. 11 Bigotted and Nuzled to maintain Priest-Craft. 1692 Wagstaffe Vindicæ Carol. x. 74 The London and Westminster Pulpits..nuzzled the People into a resisting the King. |
† 3. To bring up, rear, train, educate. Obs.
| 1558 Warde tr. Alexis' Secr. To Rdr., Yet haue I alwaies been noseled vp by a certaine ambition and vainglorie. 1568 Skinner tr. Montanus' Inquisit. 82 b, So that hauing such store both of bookes and maisters to instruct them, they began to nosell their whole couent. 1600 Holland Livy iii. lii. 123 To flesh the Commons, and to nuzzle them up, and acquaint them with exercising crueltie upon the Nobles. 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 150 What Saint is she, That..Nusles my damned Atheist, makes him curse Nature and fortune? 1645 Procl. conc. Bk. Com. Pr. 5 The Common-Prayer was a meanes to nuzzle up a non-preaching and ignorant Ministry. |
† b. To impose upon, deceive. Obs. rare.
| c 1680 Hickeringill Whiggism i. Wks. 1716 I. 23 Can a few Renegadoes, or Papists think to nuzzle the most glorious Isle and City of the Universe? 1705 ― Priest-cr. iv. (1721) 205 Therefore you are a Pack of nonsensical Bigots, to be nuzled so easily by Priest-craft. |
4. To nurse, to cherish fondly; to provide with a snug place of rest (cf. nuzzle v.1 4).
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions vi. (1887) 47 All those offices, wherunto our bodie serueth naturally,..must be cherished and nusled. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. Prol., Being hugged in the armes, And nuzzled twixt the breastes of happinesse. 1607 T. Walkington Opt. Glass iv. 46 We nusle Serpents in our own bosom..till they sting us to death. 1652 Crashaw Mary Magdalene Wks. (1904) 260 The deaw no more will sleep Nuzzel'd in the lilly's neck. |
| 1854 Fraser's Mag. XLIX. 212 As thirsty bees that sup Nuzzled within a noonday lily's cup. 1891 Hall Caine Scapegoat xi, Why had he been..fondling and nuzzling and coddling them [= fancies]? |
Hence ˈnuzzled ppl. a.; ˈnuzzling vbl. n.; also † ˈnuzzling n., nursling.
| 1586 Leicester Corresp. (Camden) 338 The count Morrice was there..and young Mr. Hatton, for his first nuselinge. 1593 Bacchus Bountie in Harl. Misc. (1809) II. 264 Fragrantlie fuming vp..into the nosetrills of all his nosled nouises. 1638 Drummond of Hawthornden Irene Wks. (1711) 164 These few Miles of Ground, which bred and intertain'd thy Nuslings young. |