Obs. Forms: 4 burbel, 5 burbulle, -byl(l(e, 6 burbul, 5–7 burble. [f. BURBLE v.: cf. BUBBLE sb. With sense 2 cf. the use of OF. bubette in the two senses of pimple, swelling, and ‘bulle d’air dans l’eau’ (Godef.).]
1. A bubble, bubbling.
c. 1350. Legendae Catholicae, Marie Maud., 239. A litel child … The se it was comen tille Therwith it made michel gale With gret stones and with smale And playd with burbels of the water.
1483. Cath. Angl., 47. A Burbylle in ye water, bulla.
1530. Palsgr., 202/1. Burble in the water, bubette.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, lxxiii. 21 b. A wyndy spume the which is full of burbles.
b. quasi-adj. Bubbling.
c. 1430. Lydg., Chorle & Birde (1818), 3. The burbill [v.r. burbly] wawes in their up boyllyng.
2. A pimple; a boil.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 266. Certeine pimples or burbuls.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, VII. iv. (1639), 387. As often as burbles are broken in the bowels.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 77. Iacinths … have commonly pimples or burbles in them.
