▪ I. rammel, n.1 Now only dial.
(ˈræm(ə)l)
Forms: 5 ramail, -ayle, -al, 5–6 ramel(le, 4–6, 9 ramell; 6 rammal(e, -ald, 6–7 rammell, 6–9 rammel, -il.
[In senses 1 and 2 app. a. OF. ramaille branches (Godef.), f. rame branch. But the remaining senses are not clearly developed from these, and may really represent a different word.]
† 1. north. and Sc. Brushwood, underwood, small trees or bushes. Obs.
| 1373 Durh. Halm. Rolls (Surtees) 121 Pro transgressione facta in Elden, viz. succidend' ramell'. 1513 Douglas æneis x. vii. 112 The hyrd..Amang the scroggy rammell settis the fyre. 1590 J. Burel Descr. Queen's Entry in Watson Coll. Sc. Poems (1709) II. 1 In Tapestries ye micht persaue, Young Ramel, wrocht like lawrell treis. |
| attrib. 1542 Surv. Cheviot in MS. Cott. Calig. B 8, fol. 73 b, By the ryuers these growyth many allers and other rammell wood. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 37 There vas ane grene banc ful of rammel grene treis. |
2. Small, crooked, or rubbishy branches, esp. from trees which have been felled and trimmed.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 292 The ramail from the fressher bough to leson Is good. 1611 Inv. in Chesh. Gloss. (1880) s.v., It. ffyve wayne loads of Coles, some Ramell, Kids, pooles, & a stone trough. a 1796 Pegge Derbicisms, Rammel, small spray-wood left after the cordwood, stakes, and all the larger stuff is taken out. 1886– in dial. glossaries (W. Som., Chesh., Northumb.). |
3. Rubbish of any kind.
| 1370–71 Acc. Rolls Durham (Surtees) 209 De ramell petrarum rem. de ecclesia del Magdeleynes. 1475 Waterf. Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 312 That no..man..putte no manere dunge, ramell or fylth into the ryvere. 1569 Chron. St. Martin's Leicester (1866) 172 For Caryinge y⊇ stones & Rammell away where y⊇ Crosse stoode. 1616 Nottingham Rec. (1889) IV. 348 For..clensinge the streetes, and caryinge away the rammell..xlvijs. 1766 Ch. Acc. in Rutland Gloss. s.v., For Raming Rammil out of the church porch 6d. 1832 Boston Herald 6 Mar. 4 Some rammel which had been most improperly placed in Broad⁓street. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. I. 194 Tak' that rammil [= money] back; I don't want none on it. 1877– in dial. glossaries (Linc., Rutl., Warw., etc.). |
| attrib. 1433 Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees) 51 De 4d. de magistro Ricardo Morton pro ramelstone sibi vendito. |
4. W. Midl. dial. A hard infertile earth.
| 1834 Brit. Husb. I. 405 A grey sand, mixed with coarse clay—which the farmers call rammel. 1844 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 80 A few inches of an unwholesome rammel, under which is a stiff marl subsoil. 1894 Baring-Gould Queen of Love III. 37 The fold was apparently of ‘rammel’..and grew nothing but a little stunted broom. |
▪ II. ˈrammel, n.2 Sc.
Also ramble.
[Of obscure origin: prob. not identical with prec.]
A mixture of barley and common bear formerly sown in Fife.
| 1793 Statist. Acc. Scotl. IX. 441 (Crail). 1794 Ibid. XII. 531 (Markinch). |
▪ III. † ˈrammel, v. rare—0.
[app. f. rammel n.1 3; but cf. Sw. ramla in same sense.]
(See quot.)
| 1611 Florio, Franáre, to breake in sunder, to rammell or moulder in pieces as sometimes mud walles or great masses of stones will doe of themselues. |