Chiefly Sc. Forms: 4 kerling, -lyng, 6 carlyng, 6–9 carling, carlin, carline. (Northern ME. kerling, a. ON. kerling woman, esp. old woman, fem. of Karl (with umlaut and -ing, Norse form of -in, -EN). Carlin is assimilated to CARL, and in the ending follows the Sc. pronunciation of -ING as -in, as in mornin’, flittin’, etc.]
A woman, esp. an old one; often implying contempt or disparagement, like CARL sb.1 2.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11056. Þe tan was leuedi maiden ying, Þe toþer hir hand-womman kerling.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Theodera, 21. Thru flatry Of kerlyngis, þat in mony wyse Ȝung mene betresis oft-syse.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., 1942. Vnto the nimphe I maid a busteous braid, Carling [v.r. Carline] (quod I) quhat was ȝone.
1630. B. Jonson, New Inn, V. i. Why … sold’st him then to me … for ten shillings, carlin?
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, II. iv. [Peg says] There’s no living with that old carline his mother.
1787. Burns, To J. Smith. That auld, capricious carlin, Nature.
1810. Tannahill, When John and me were married. My minnie, cankert carling, Would gi’e us nocht ava.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canong., Introd. (1863), 242. It was but about a young cateran and an auld carline.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 56. Goodwife … Thou art a sturdy carline yet.
b. Applied particularly to a witch or one charged with being such.
1528. Lyndesay, Dreme, 45. Off the reid Etin and the gyir carlyng.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 514. How King Duffois was witchit be … ane Witche Carling that duelt in Forres.
a. 1700. in Sc. Pasquils (1868), 44. A witches son, shame fa’ his face Sa carling lyke.
1790. Burns, Tam O’Shanter. The carlin caught her by the rump, And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.
a. 1835. Hogg, Witch of Fife, lix. The kerlyngs drank of the bishop’s wyne Quhill they scentit the morning wynde.
