Whit"tle (?), n. [AS. hwītel,
from hwit white; akin to Icel. hvītill a white bed
cover. See White.] (a) A grayish, coarse
double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the
shoulders, like a cloak or shawl. C. Kingsley.
(b) Same as Whittle shawl, below.
Whittle shawl, a kind of fine woolen shawl,
originally and especially a white one.
Whit"tle (?), n. [OE. thwitel, fr. AS.
pwītan to cut. Cf. Thwittle, Thwaite a piece of
ground.] A knife; esp., a pocket, sheath, or clasp knife. "A
butcher's whittle." Dryden. "Rude whittles."
Macaulay.
He wore a Sheffield whittle in his hose.
Betterton.
Whit"tle, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Whittled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whittling (?).]
1. To pare or cut off the surface of with a small
knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp
knife or pocketknife.
2. To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited;
esp., to excite with liquor; to inebriate. [Obs.]
"In vino veritas." When men are well whittled, their
tongues run at random.
Withals.
Whit"tle, v. i. To cut or shape a piece
of wood with am small knife; to cut up a piece of wood with a
knife.
Dexterity with a pocketknife is a part of a Nantucket
education; but I am inclined to think the propensity is national. Americans
must and will whittle.
Willis.
Whit"tle (?), n. [AS. hwītel,
from hwit white; akin to Icel. hvītill a white bed
cover. See White.] (a) A grayish, coarse
double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the
shoulders, like a cloak or shawl. C. Kingsley.
(b) Same as Whittle shawl, below.
Whittle shawl, a kind of fine woolen shawl,
originally and especially a white one.
Whit"tle (?), n. [OE. thwitel, fr. AS.
pwītan to cut. Cf. Thwittle, Thwaite a piece of
ground.] A knife; esp., a pocket, sheath, or clasp knife. "A
butcher's whittle." Dryden. "Rude whittles."
Macaulay.
He wore a Sheffield whittle in his hose.
Betterton.
Whit"tle, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Whittled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whittling (?).]
1. To pare or cut off the surface of with a small
knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp
knife or pocketknife.
2. To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited;
esp., to excite with liquor; to inebriate. [Obs.]
"In vino veritas." When men are well whittled, their
tongues run at random.
Withals.
Whit"tle, v. i. To cut or shape a piece
of wood with am small knife; to cut up a piece of wood with a
knife.
Dexterity with a pocketknife is a part of a Nantucket
education; but I am inclined to think the propensity is national. Americans
must and will whittle.
Willis.
