▪ I. inkle, n. Now rare.
(ɪŋk(ə)l)
Forms: 6 ync(h)ull, ynkell, ynkle, 6–7 ynckle, inckle, 6– incle, inkle.
[Derivation not ascertained.
Du. enkel, formerly enckel, inckel ‘single’, is suggested by the sound, and it is quite conceivable that this might be applied to a ‘narrow’ or ‘inferior’ tape; but historical evidence is wanting. Identity of origin with lingle (as conjectured by some) is out of the question.]
1. A kind of linen tape, formerly much used for various purposes.
| 1541 Yatton Church-w. Acc. (Som. Rec. Soc.) 155 For a pece of brode yncull for gyrdyllys..v{supd}. 1546 Ibid. 159 For whyte ynchull to make amyss..j{supd}. 1567 Harman Caveat 65 With baskets..on their armes, where in they haue laces, pynnes, nedles, white ynkell. 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady v. iii, My wife is learning now Sir, to weave inkle. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. (1738) I. 41 Here we noted an engine or wheel for the weaving of inkle and tape. 1686 Lond. Gaz. No. 2197/4 Lost,..a parcel of Papers,..wrapt and bound about with Red Incle. 1781 W. Harrod Antiq. Stamford (1785) II. 438 His shoes were..ty'd with strings of a purple colour,..but whether ribbon, or inkle I know not. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss., Inkle, an inferior kind of tape. 1868 Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Inkle, a narrow linen fabric, or kind of tape, formerly used for shoe-ties, apron-strings, and the like. |
† b. A piece, or variety, of inkle.
Obs.| 1607 Markham Caval. i. (1617) 58 Take an Incle or Ribband, and measure the Foale when hee is new foaled. 1610 ― Masterp. ii. iii. 399 Either stitch them together, or with a broad inckle bind them vp. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 208 Hee hath Ribbons of all the colours i' th Rainebow; Points..Inckles, Caddysses, Cambrickes, Lawnes. 1639 T. de Grey Compl. Horsem. 141 With an incle or filliting bind the hough. 1733 P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 101 They buy up large Quantities of our fine Linen Yarn,..Yarn of a coarser Staple..for Warp to their wrought Inkles, Fustians and Linsywoolsies. |
2. The linen thread or yarn from which inkle is manufactured; usually
unwrought inkle.
| 1545 Rates Custom-ho. b v b, Incle the hundreth pounde vnwrought. 1571 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1835) 361, iij ouncs of cotton silk iijs.—ij ouncs of fyne ynkell vj{supd}. 1583 Rates Custom-ho. C vij, Inckle vnwrought called white thred single or double. 1608 Shakes. Per. v. Chor. 8 Marina..with her neeld composes Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry..Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry. 1714 Lond. Gaz. No. 5240/3 Unwrought Incle Imported into this Kingdom. 1813 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 252/1 Ribbons made of silk mixed with Inkle or cotton. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. 1188/1 Spinel is bleached yarn for the manufacture of the tape, and is known as unwrought inkle. 1879 Spons' Encycl. Manuf. I. 590 The majority [of wicks] consist of inkle, a fine flax yarn. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
inkle-house,
inkle-loom,
inkle-maker,
inkle-manufacture,
inkle-manufacturer,
inkle-points,
inkle-roll,
inkle string,
inkle-wares; also
† inkle-beggar, a beggar who sells tape, etc.;
inkle-eloquence, ? tawdry, shoddy rhetoric;
inkle-weaver, a weaver of inkle or linen tape; whence the phrase
as great (or thick) as inkle-weavers, extremely intimate (see
quot. 1788).
| 1616 T. Adams Div. Herbal Wks. 1862 II. 437 From the courtier to the carter, from the lady to the *inkle-beggar, there is this excess. |
| 1774 Westm. Mag. II. 453, I have seen a powdered coxcomb of this gawzy make..flatter himself with the power of his *inkle eloquence. |
| 1845 New Stat. Acc. Scotl. VI. 157 In 1732 Mr. Harvey brought away from Haerlem two *inkle-looms. |
| a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Cannikin,..as great as Cup and Cann; or as great as two *Inklemakers. |
| 1805 Forsyth Beauties Scotl. II. 128 Ten tons of linen yarn have been annually consumed in the *inkle manufacture. |
| 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 3 Sept., Mr. M'Clellan, a rich *inkle-manufacturer. |
| 1603 Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1885) II. 189 For sale of sackclothe, *inclepoints, Garteringe, Threede, Buttons and oth{supr} Small wares. |
| 1583 Rates Custom-ho. C vij, *Inckle roles the dosen peeces. |
| 1610 Markham Masterp. i. xxxiii. 65 Tye vp his eares with a soft *inckle string. |
| 1845 New Stat. Acc. Scotl. VI. 157 Glasgow was the first place in Britain where *inkle wares were manufactured. |
| 1691 T. Browne Reasons Mr. Bays changing Relig. (ed. 2) 15 The *Inkle-weavers..the dealers in Ribbons. 1738 Swift Pol. Convers. i. 105 She and you were as great as two Inkle-weavers. 1788 Cowper Let. 6 May, Wks. 1836 VI. 153 When people are intimate, we say they are as great as two inkle-weavers..inkle-weavers contract intimacies with each other sooner than other people on account of their juxtaposition in weaving of inkle [the inkle-looms being so narrow and close together]. 1874 Mrs. H. Wood Mast. Greylands xxxiii. 389 My relatives..and the Greylands' Rest people used to be as thick as inkle-weavers. |
▪ II. inkle, v. rare.
(
ɪŋk(ə)l)
Also 4
incle.
[Origin unascertained: cf. inkling.] 1. trans. To utter or communicate in an undertone or whisper, to hint, give a hint of. In
quot. 1340-70 ‘to inkle the truth’, (parenthetically)
= to mention or tell the truth, ‘sooth to say’. In
quots. 1901, 1904 a back-formation from
inkling 2.
| 1340–70 Alisaunder 616 A brem brasen borde bringes hee soone, Imped in iuory, too incle þe truthe. 1901 S. Butler Erewhon Revisited 42 People like being deceived, but they also like to have an inkling of their own deception, and you never inkle them. 1904 Hardy Dynasts I. i. vi. 57 Thou art young, and dost not heed the Cause of things Which some of us have inkled to thee here. |
2. dial. To get an inkling or notion (of).
[In this sense
app. a back-formation from
inkling 3, 4.]
| 1866 Blackmore Cradock Nowell xxix. (1883) 153 His marriage settlement and its effects, they could only inkle of. 1868 Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Inkle. 1. To form notions, guesses or projects..2. To form wishes or inclinations..for this or that gratification, to wit. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. lii. (1879) 340 She inkled what it was. |