vbl. sb. Forms: α. 5 wolling, 5–6 wolyng(e, 6 wooling(e. β. 5 woldynge, 7 pl. wouldens, 7–8 woulding, 7– woolding (9 wolding). [late ME. wol(l)ing, prob. ad. MLG. *woling, MDu. *woeling (Du. woeling, whence G. wuhling, wuling, Da. vuling, cf. Sw. vulning), f. MLG. wolen, etc. WOOLD v.]
1. The action of binding an object tightly with cord; esp. Naut. the action of winding rope or chain round a mast or yard, to support it where it is fished or broken. Also attrib.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 532/1. Wolynge, or stronge byyndynge (K. woldynge, S., W. worlynge), provolucio, prostriccio (perstrinctio).
1495. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 207. A cabelette of cc weght occupied & spent Abought the wollyng of the mayne yerde.
15[?]. in Meyrick, Ant. Armour (1824), III. 290. Ropis of hempe for wolyng and brechyng.
1548. Acts Privy Council (1890), II. 174. Wooling ropes, xij coyles.
1670. in Cal. St. Pap., Col., Amer. (1889), 50. It is a common thing, amongst the [W. Indian] privateers,… to cut a man in pieces,… sometimes tying a cord about his head, and with a stick twisting it till the eyes start out, which is called ‘woolding.’
1677. W. Hubbard, Pres. St. New-Eng., 59. He would owne nothing but what was forced out of his mouth, by the woolding of his head with a cord.
1750. Blanckley, Nav. Expositor, 110. Nails, Woolding, drove through the Ropes that Woold the Ship’s Masts.
1804. Larwood, No Gun Boats, 14. Such masts require no splicing, no wolding, no fishing.
1883. W. D. Curzon, Manuf. Industries Worcs., 76. For Barge and Ship Builders, barge nails,… scupper and woolding and lap nails.
2. concr. a. A wrapping, swathing (in first quot. glossing L. pero a rustic boot); esp. Naut. (often pl.) the rope or chain used in woolding a band or wrapping of rope wound round a mast, spar, etc.
c. 1425. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 656/9. Hic pero, -ri, wolyng.
1558. in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 123. The Tyger sprong the woolings of her boltspreete.
a. 1625. Manwayring, Sea-man’s Dict. (1644), 117. Also those Roapes, which come from the beake-head, over the bolt-spritt, and Lashes it fast downe from rising off the pillow are called the Wouldings of the bolt-spritt.
1626. Capt. J. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 12. Coates and wouldings, for all masts and yeards.
1699. T. Allison, Voy. Archangel, 36. We … got two Wouldens on our Rudder Head.
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, V. 388. Sew up your Cloth, and reinforce it throughout with a Woulding of Marline.
1748. Anson’s Voy., I. v. 54. The main-mast was sprung at the upper woulding.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), s.v. Yard, They [sc. the lateen yards] are … composed of several pieces fastened together by wooldings.
1788. A. Cochrane, Direct. Using Coal Tar, 11.
1837. E. Howard, Old Commodore, II. 46. The immense wolding of flannel and swathing around his right leg.
