▪ I. brandling
(ˈbrændlɪŋ)
[f. brand n. + -ling; from the colour or markings.]
1. A worm of a red colour variegated with rings or bands of brighter colouring, used as bait by anglers.
| 1651 T. Barker Art of Angling (1820) 3 Brandlin. 1653 Walton Angler 94 For a Brandling, hee is usually found in an old dunghil. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. ii. 336 The Brandlings are generally found in Cow or Hog's Dung. 1854 Badham Halieut. 274 A gudgeon being incapable of refusing a lively young brandling. 1880 Boys Own Bk. 264 The brandling and gilt tail are excellent bait for Perch. |
2. dial. A local name of the salmon parr; formerly regarded as a species of trout.
| c 1730 Burt Lett. N. Scotl. (1818) I. 121 A little trout..called in the North of England a branlin. 1802 J. Wilson (Congleton) MS. Let. 17 Apr. to J. Boucher, Brandling, a small Trout. Cumb. 1880–84 F. Day Fishes Gt. Britain II. 68 The Salmon..From one to two years old, before it has gone to the sea, it is known as a parr, pink, smolt, smelt, salmon-fry, sprag, or salmon-spring, samlet, brandling, fingerling, etc., etc. |
▪ II. † ˈbrandling, ppl. a. Obs.
[f. brandle v., cf. branling.]
Tottering, unsteady, wavering.
| 1605 Raleigh Introd. Hist. Eng. (1693) 36 Before the settling of the Government whilest it was new and brandling. 1611 Cotgr., Branslant, brandling..reeling, staggering, wauering. |