Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 4 yar-, ȝarewyndel, 5 ȝarn(e wyndel, ȝarwyndyl(l, yerwyndylle, 6 yarne wyndell, 9 yarn-windle, Sc. yarn-winle. Also YARNDLE, YARRINGLE. [f. YARN sb. + -windle, instrumental formation on WIND v.1 (see -LE 1); cf. YARNWIND.] An appliance for winding a skein of yarn into a ball: GARNWINDLE.

1

c. 1325.  Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 157. A yarwyndel.

2

c. 1340.  Nominale (Skeat), 547. Serence lussel et voydere, hechele clewen ȝarewyndul.

3

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 536/2. Ȝarne wyndel, or ga(r)wyndel (S. or ȝarwyndyl), girgillus.

4

c. 1475.  Pict. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 794/33. Hic virgillus, a yerwyndylleblad.

5

1530.  Palsgr., 291/1. Yarne wyndell, tornette.

6

1611.  Cotgr., Desvidoir, a paire of blades, or yarnwindles.

7

1818.  Scott, Rob Roy, xxxii. Nae man willingly wad cut short his thread of life before the end o’ his pirn was fairly measured off on the yarn-winles. Ibid. (1821), Pirate, v. Speak her fair and canny, or we will have a ravelled hasp on the yarn-windles!

8