Obs. or Sc. [In branch I, a parallel form to CHIRK, CHIRP: see CHIRR. In branch II, used to express an action accompanied by such a sound, and then transferred.]
I. Obs. Of sound.
† 1. intr. To chirp. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Summoner’s T., 96. [He] kiste hire sweete and chirteth [4 MSS. chirketh] as a sparwe With his lyppes.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. v. (Tollem. MS.). Exciteþ briddes and foulis to chirtynge [ed. 1495 chyrterynge, 1535 cherterynge] and to loue [ad garritum et amores].
II. Of an action. Sc.
2. intr. To issue or spout out with a chirping sound, as liquid when squeezed; to spirt or squirt.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. ix. 72. The ȝoustir tharfra chirtand and blak blud. Ibid., VIII. iv. 169. He him in armys claspit, And so strenȝeit his thrott, furth chirt his ene.
3. trans. ‘To squeeze (liquid) through the teeth’ (Ruddiman); ‘to squeeze, to press out’ (Jam.).
1805. G. M’Indoe, Million Potatoes, 149. John chirted out his hairy purse.
1822. Blackw. Mag., XII. 335. All meaning is chirted out of these words.
1826. J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. I. 259. The love o’ truth chirts it out o’ me.
4. intr. To press in.
1790–1813. A. Wilson, Ep. E. Picken, Poet. Wks. 107. While lads and laughin’ lasses free Chirt in to hear thy sang.
