▪ I. ˈdrivelling, -eling, vbl. n.
[f. as prec. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb drivel.
1. A running at the nose and mouth; slavering; concr. = slaver.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. lxvii. (1495) 284 Yf the dreuelynge of a woode hounde fallyth in to the water, it enfectyth the water. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 740 (R.) His eyen and mouth faire closed..without any driueling or spurging in any place of his body. 1822–34 Good Study Med. (ed. 4) I. 407 The coryza or snuffling of old age, is precisely analogous to its ptyalism or drivelling. |
2. = drivel n.2 2.
| 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 62 As he betrayed a villanous drivelling in his tears, the Caliph turned his back. 1842 Miall in Nonconf. II. 425 The miserable drivelings of the senate. |
▪ II. ˈdrivelling, -eling, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That drivels.
1. Slavering, dribbling.
| 1530 Palsgr. 311/1 Drivelyng as a yonge chylde, baueux. 1552 Huloet, Driuelynge harlot or queane, scraptia. c 1611 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. iv. Decay 179 Stooping as she goes, With driveling mouth, and with a sniveling nose. |
† b. transf. That flows or falls in drops. Obs.
| 1624 Gee Foot out of Snare vii. 63 Those driueling droppes are they, which are kept in a siluer Image. 1804 Naval Chron. XII. 473 Gusts of wind and drivelling sleet. |
2. Characterized by or given to silly childish talk or weak action; idiotic.
| c 1460 [see drivel v. 5]. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 95 This driueling Loue is like a great Naturall, that runs lolling vp and downe to hid his bable in a hole. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. v. Wks. 1856 I. 56 Can you paint me a driveling reeling song? 1728 T. Sheridan Persius' Sat. i. (1739) 21 All this drivling Stuff without Sinews or Strength. 1741 Warburton Div. Legat. iv. v. III. 222 Some driveling grecanised Mythologist. 1818 Hazlitt Eng. Poets iv. (1870) 105 The mere drivelling effusions of his spleen and malice. 1864 Knight Passages Wrkg. Life I. iii. 167 A drivelling idiot called a king. |
† 3. absol. or as n. A drab. Obs. rare.
| 1570 Levins Manip. 135/47 A Driueling, scraptia. |
Hence ˈdrivellingly adv.
| 1731 Bailey, Drivelingly, sillily. 1820 W. Taylor in Monthly Rev. XCII. 62 The wording of the poetry..is often drivellingly diffuse. |