a. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 wancol, 3 wankel, 4 -kyll, 4–5 -kille, 7, 9 wancle, wankle. [OE. wancol = OS. wankol, MDu., Du. wankel, OHG. wanchal, MHG., G. (obs.) wankel; cf. OHG. wankôn (MHG., mod.G. wanken), to waver, totter.] Unsteady, insecure; changeable, unsettled, precarious; inconstant, wavering. Also, weak in health, delicate, sickly.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., vii. § 2. Nu ðu hæfst onʓiten ða wanclan truwa þæs blindan lustes. Ibid., xx. Hio hit ʓecyð self mid hire hwurfulnesse þæt hio bið swiðe wancol.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 566, in O. E. Misc., 18. Ðis wunder wuneð in wankel stede, ðer ðe water sinkeð.
13[?]. Gosp. Nicod., 340 (Addit. MS.). If my kyngdome … Within þis wankill worlde nowe were.
14[?]. Thomas of Erceldoune, 494 (Camb. MS.). Þe worlde is wondur wankill.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, Wankle, limber, flaccid, ticklish, fickle, wavering.
1683. Yorke-sh. Dial., 7. Here’s wancle weather for gittinge of our Hay.
1686. G. Stuart, Joco-Ser. Discourse, 50. Your Wankle Leggs canno’ support ye.
1790. Grose, Provinc. Gloss. (ed. 2), Wankle, weak, unstable, not to be depended on; as a wankle seat; wankle weather. N.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Wancle, wanky, weak; pliant.
1869. J. P. Morris, Furness Gloss., 107. That barne’s terble wankle on its legs.
1888. Fenn, Dick o’ the Fens, 381. He don’t wear as I should like to see un. He’s wankle.
