Now dial. Forms: 4 Sc. pr. pple. wynland, vyndland, 6 windill, 6– windle, (9 dial. winnle). [f. WIND v.1 + -LE 3. With sense 2 cf. MDu., MHG., G. windeln to swathe, swaddle.]
1. intr. To move circularly or sinuously; to turn over and over, or round and round; to whirl; to meander: = WIND v.1 7 b. Hence Windling vbl. sb. and ppl. a.1
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 721. Sum dede, sum dosnyt, come doun vyndland.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., To Rdr. p. xxviii. The one hoodwinked with his implicite faith, as with a bumble on his head, thinkes he goes forthright, when he windles in a mill.
1802. Mrs. Radcliffe, Gaston de Blondeville, IV. (1826), 140. Beside some windling brook.
1856. P. Thompson, Hist. Boston, 730. Windling, snow-drifting.
1905. Engl. Dial. Dict., s.v. (Lincolnsh.), The snow windles under the tiles.
2. trans. To wind (thread, etc.); also absol.: = WIND v.1 15. Also Sc. (see quot. 1808, and cf. WINDLE sb.1 3, WINDLING sb.).
1587. W. Fowler, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 117/132. Than did I spye Chrysippus … with a large and brodest roll his threid & webbs to windill.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 1. These flocks as white as milke, That make, and spinne, and die, and windle silke.
1808. Jamieson, Windle, to make up (straw or hay) into bottles.
1859. A. Whitehead, Leg. Westmld., 14 (E.D.D.). The sarvant lasses they’d begun To winnle, wind, and spin.
