† diˈsparple, v. Obs.
Forms: 4 desparple, -perple, 4–7 disparple (4–5 disparpoil(l, -parble, 5 dys-, disperpil, -parbel, -perble, -perbyl, 5–6 disperple, 6 -pearple, 7 -purple). See also disparkle, deperpeyl.
[a. Of. desparpelier, -peillier, -pillier, closely akin to It. sparpagliare, Sp. desparpajar, f. Rom. des- (dis-) + *parpaliāre, f. *parpilio, *parpalio (It. parpaglione, Pr. parpalho butterfly; cf. Cat. papalló), app. a changed form of L. papilio, -ōnem. The same verbal root in its variant forms appears in OF. es-parpillier, mod.F. éparpiller, Cat. es-parpillar, Pr. es-parpalhar: cf. mod.Pr. esfarfalhá, f. farfalla butterfly. In OF. the -ill- belonged orig. to the atonic, the -eill- to the tonic forms, but these were subseq. confused.]
1. trans. To scatter abroad, disperse, drive in different directions; also, to sprinkle.
| a 1325 Prose Psalter xliii[i]. 3 Þyn honde desparplist þe folk, and þou settest hem. 1382 Wyclif Mark xiv. 27, I schal smyte the schepherde, and the scheep of the floc schulen be disparplid. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 1 Thoo [exposiciones] that were disparplied in many sundry bokis, my labour was to bring hem into o body. 1472 Sir J. Paston in Paston Lett. No. 692. III. 39 All hys meny ar dysparblyd, every man hys weye. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 56 b/1 Thenne the chyldren were dysperplyd for to gadre chaf. 1613 Heywood Silver Age iii. Wks. 1874 III. 144 Their hot, fiery brains Are now dispurpled by Alcides' club. 1615 Chapman Odyss. x. 473 Odorous water was Disperpled lightly on my head and neck. |
b. To divide. c. To throw into confusion.
| 1382 Wyclif Mark iii. 25 If an hous be disparpoilid on it silf, thilke hous may not stonde. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 73 He schal desparple the weyes of synfulmen. 1541 Paynel Catiline xix. 35 Discorde alone disparpeleth and turneth up sette downe thynges stronge and myghty. |
2. intr. (for refl.) To disperse, move or fly asunder, scatter themselves.
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) Prol. 4 A Flock of Scheep withouten a schepperde..which departeth and desparpleth. c 1450 Merlin 196 Noon durste hym a-bide, but disparbled a-brode fro hym as from a wode lyon in rage. 1584 Hudson Du Bartas' Judith iv. 339 (D.) Her wav'ring hair disparpling flew apart In seemly shed. |
Hence diˈsparpled ppl. a.; diˈsparpling vbl. n.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. clxxvi. 173 This disparblynge of the cristen hoost. 1652 Urquhart Jewel Wks. (1834) 229 Their transported, disparpled, and sublimated fancies. 1678 Phillips, Disparpled or Disperpled, loosly scattered, or shooting it self into divers parts; a term used in Heraldry. |