▪ I. wheeling, vbl. n.
(ˈhwiːlɪŋ)
[f. wheel v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb wheel, in various senses. a. Turning or revolution about an axis or centre; rotation. Also fig. b. Mil. (See wheel v. 3.) Also attrib. c. A turning aside or in a different direction, deviation; also fig. d. Motion (or transf. extension) in a circle or curve; circling, circuitous movement; also fig. e. Conveyance of something in a wheelbarrow or the like; travelling in a wheeled vehicle, or (colloq.) on a bicycle or tricycle; also, the condition of a road suitable for the passage of (wheeled) vehicles. Also attrib. f. Furnishing or fitting with a wheel or wheels. g. Needlework. The making or working of ‘wheels’: see wheel n. 9 a (a); attrib. as in wheeling stitch, wheeling yarn, etc. † h. Torturing or ‘breaking’ on a wheel. Obs. i. The process of shaping or forming something by means of a wheel; in quots. attrib. j. wheeling and dealing: see wheel and deal v. Also wheeling-dealing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| a. 1483 Earl Rivers Ball. 6 in Ritson Anc. Songs (1877) 150 This world being Of such whelyng Me contrarieng. 1587 Golding De Mornay xiii. 223 The wheelings about of the Skye. 1594 Nashe Terrors Nt. Wks. (Grosart) III. 269 As the firmament is still mouing and working, so vncessant is the wheeling and rolling on of our braines. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 318 All Rotations and Wheelings cause a kind of Giddiness in the Brain. 1773 A. Grant Lett. fr. Mount. (1807) I. xiii. 105 The ‘boiling’ and ‘wheeling’ of the waters below. |
| b. 1623 ‘Jack Dawe’ Vox Graculi 38 What wheelings, what windings, what summoning to parlees. 1625 Markham Souldiers Accid. 22 Wheeling (as by conversion or turning to either hand). 1796 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 15 In division Wheelings, the whole keep closed lightly towards the hand they wheel to, and must avoid pressing the pivot man off his ground. 1832 Prop. Regul. Instr. Cavalry ii. 10 Wheeling should at first be practised in single rank. 1833 Regul. Instr. Cavalry i. 20 The Wheeling Step, or March, is 120 steps of 30 inches each, or 300 feet in a minute. 1894 Outing (U.S.) XXIV. 236/1 The wheelings and dress are fully equal to the best regular regiments. |
| c. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 182 His unconstant whilinges to Ormond. a 1711 Ken Anodynes Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 431, I sooner cou'd of shifting Wind, The Rise, Recess, and Wheelings find, Than of my heart detect the Wiles. |
| d. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 24 After all this wheeling about, we are not a step further than we were. 1789 J. Williams Min. Kingd. I. 15 A different dip or declivity of the strata, which is occasioned by the waving and wheeling of the strata. 1839 Mrs. Kirkland New Home xvi. 101 We had been watching the wheelings and flittings of a flock of prairie hens. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xxx, The hovering and wheeling of Grandcourt's caprice. |
| e. 1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 113 When stones can be got within a wheeling distance, or about sixty or seventy yards. 1850 L. Sawyer Jrnl. 3 July in Way Sketches (1926) v. 81 Our road lay over deep barren sand, which rendered the wheeling very difficult. 1864 Ret. Agric. Soc. Maine 52 The January thaw..gives us bare hills and wheeling. 1873 ‘G. Hamilton’ Twelve Miles ii. 25 He told her he would give her a sleigh-ride when it came wheeling. 1882 Prospectus Cycle Touring Club, The encouragement of all that is admirable in the art of wheeling. 1883 Harper's Mag. Oct. 727/2 Travelling in the saddle was..a necessity, wheeling is now everywhere easy. |
| f. 1661 in Swayne Churchw. Acc. Sarum (1896) 334 Stocking and wheeling of the same [sc. bells]. 1875 Carpentry & Join. 120 Far more suitable for amateurs than building or ‘wheeling’ as it is termed. 1898 Daily News 21 Feb. 6/5 The gearing and wheeling of the cars. |
| g. 1808 Jamieson, Wheelin, coarse worsted. 1862 Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit. II. No. 4032, Fingering, lambs-wool, and wheeling hosiery. 1880 Plain Hints Needlework 29 Wheeling yarn. |
| h. 1611 Coryat Crudities 388 The fifth and last punishment is wheeling, which is onely for murderers. |
| i. 1882 Standard 16 Sept. 8/2 Brickmakers' plant and stock, comprising..iron wheeling plates. 1884 B'ham Daily Post 23 Feb. 2/4 Tin and Iron-plate workers, &c... Wireing, Swaging and Wheeling Machines. |
| j. 1973 Guardian 21 June 2/3 The cliché of the moment is that Mr Brezhnev is..a sort of wheeling-dealing glad⁓hander. 1977 Guardian Weekly 28 Aug. 22/4 The wheeling⁓dealing that went on within the tribunal when it came to considering the verdicts. |
▪ II. wheeling, ppl. a. (
ˈhwiːlɪŋ)
[f. wheel v. + -ing2.] That wheels, in various senses.
a. Turning like a wheel; revolving about an axis; rotating, rolling, whirling, swirling. Also
fig. of a recurring or ‘revolving’ period of time.
b. Mil. (See
wheel v. 3.)
wheeling flank, the outward flank in wheeling, which describes the largest curve.
c. Turning round or aside; changing direction.
d. Moving, or executed as a movement, in a circle or similar curve; circling.
† In first
quot., wandering about, roving.
e. Moving on wheels.
| a. 1628 Milton Vac. Exerc. 34 Where the deep transported mind may soare Above the wheeling poles. 1635 L. Foxe N.-W. Fox 187 Wheeling streames like edie tides. 1636 W. Cartwright Royal Slave v. ii, Hemm'd in on every side With Beauties, which his wheeling eye runs o're All in a Minute. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. iv. ii, With Patience then I'll wait each wheeling Year. 1742 Young Nt. Th. ix. 1274 What arm Almighty put these wheeling globes In motion? 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxxiii, The deep and wheeling stream of the river. |
| b. 1796 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 41 An officer or under officer from the wheeling flank..of each squadron. 1833 Reg. Instr. Cavalry i. 23 The outward wheeling man..lengthens his step. |
| c. 1716 Pope Iliad v. 53 As he to Flight his wheeling Car addrest. a 1769 Falconer Shipwr. iii. 388 The pilots..Still with the wheeling stern their force repel. 1882 ‘Ouida’ Bimbi vi. 186 He endeavoured to soothe his fretting and wheeling beast. |
| d. 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. i. 137 Tying her Dutie, Beautie, Wit, and Fortunes In an extrauagant, and wheeling Stranger. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 263 We are faine to use a wheeling-stride, and go as it were in orbe. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 803 Dark as a Cloud they make a wheeling Flight. 1730–46 Thomson Autumn 487 Happy he who tops the wheeling chase. 1805–6 Cary Dante, Inf. iii. 93 Around whose eyes glared wheeling flames. 1827 Keble Chr. Y., 20th Sunday after Trin., The wheeling kite's wild solitary cry. 1905 Treves Other Side of Lantern ii. xxii. 142 Pigeons sweep round this square in wheeling flocks. |
| e. 1596 Sir J. Davies Orchestra cxv, A wheeling Cart. 1637 Whiting Albino & Bellama 21 Goe harnesse straight my wheeling chaire. 1773 Lady M. Coke Jrnl. 22 Aug. (1896) IV. 225 He was placed in a wheeling chair, as he has not the use of his legs. 1902 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 12 Apr. 907/2 A new stretcher, which could be used either as a light portable or as a wheeling stretcher. |
Hence
ˈwheelingly adv. on wheels.
rare.
| 1611 Florio, A ruóta, wheelingly. |