Obs. Forms: 6 werlyng, 7 worling, worldling, 7– warling. [app. formed arbitrarily to rhyme with darling. The resemblance to the Sc. WIRLING seems to be accidental.] One who is despised or disliked. Only in the proverb (see quots.) and allusively.
In the proverb snarling is sometimes substituted for warling; the form worldling is an obvious perversion.
1546. J. Heywood, Prov., II. vii. (1867), 65. It is better to be An olde mans derlyng, than a yong mans werlyng.
1604. [? Chettle], Wit of Woman, F 4. A young mans worldling.
1611. L. Barry, Ram Alley, II. i. A young mans warling.
1671. T. Hunt, Abeced. Scholast., 91. A young mans Worling.
1857. Sir F. Palgrave, Norm. & Eng. (1864), III. iii. 162. Fully does King Henry appear self-vindicated from the stigma of inertness, the failing assigned by his vixen Mother as justifying her schemes for aggrandizing her darling at the expence of her warling.
