Since 14th c. only north. dial. Forms: 3 atli-en, 3–5 atle, 3–4 north. (h)aght-, eghtel, -il, 4–5 attel(e, -y, attle, ettill(e, (4 aghli, ahtil, atyle, eitle, ettele, -elle, -ylle, 5 attel(l, atthill, ettil, 6 attile), 4–6 etle, (7 attill, 7–9 dial. eckle), 3– ettle. [a. ON. ætla (also etla, atla) to think, conjecture, purpose, destine, apportion:—prehistoric *ahtila, *ehtla (whence some of the ME. forms), f. OTeut. *ahtâ (OE. eaht, OHG. ahta, mod.G. acht) consideration, attention, f. root of Goth. aha ‘νοῦς,’ understanding, ahma soul. From the same nominal base without -l- suffix are OE. eahtian, OHG. ahtôn (mod.G. achten) to esteem, consider.]
I. To purpose (and senses derived from this).
1. trans. a. With inf. as obj. (usually preceded by to): To intend, purpose, plan; to make it one’s object, to endeavor. (In most instances this may be taken as intr. with inf. of purpose; hence the vb. was occas. followed by thereto referring to an inf. in context.)
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 79. Wolde him seluen wreke gif he mihte and þerto ettleð and abit his time.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 16384 (Cott.). O yur king þat es in hand, quat aghtel yee do þan?
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 5784. A doghter … Þe whilk he luved specialy And eghtild to mak hir qwene of worshepe.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 27. An aunter in erde I attle to schawe.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Magdalena, 279. Þi husband eitlise þare-to … To helpe þe puyre of his riches.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 520. Syr Arthure es thyne enmye fore ever, And ettelles to bee overlynge of þe empyre of Rome.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2965. Hit were … semly for women, Þaire houses to haunt &… þere onesty attell to saue.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 15. I forwith ȝow all ettillis to schewe Of ane Emperoure.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 16. To Eckle or Ettle: to Aim, intend, design.
1808. J. Mayne, Siller Gun., IV. To bell the cat wi’ sic a scrow, Some swankies ettled.
1863. J. Nicholson, Poems, The Burnie. So bent on the bauble we ettle aye to win, The best o’ life’s blessings we lee far behin’.
b. With sb. (or pron.) as obj.: To purpose, seek to bring about (a result).
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. xiii. 14. Quhat purposis or etlis thou now? lat see.
1774. C. Keith, Farmer’s Ha’, 35. They wad think it a braw scheme … Mischief to ettle.
c. refl. To intend (= ON. ætlask).
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 554. Bee Estyre … I ettylle my selfene, To hostaye in Almayne.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2829 (Dublin MS.). Þou … ettlys þe [Ashm. MS. etils to] sir Alexander efte to assayle.
2. To destine, ordain, assign. Const. dat. of persons, for, to; also simply, and with complement or complemental inf.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9426 (Cott.). Qua herd euer spek o mare bliss, Þan aghteld [Trin. ordeyned] was adam and his? Ibid., 21759. Godd þat haghtils ilkin stat.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 394. She was eldist and heire etlit to his londes. Ibid., 6775. Pepull, Þat by ordynaunse of Ector was etlit to hym.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. i. 30. This Goddes etlit … This realme to be … mastres To all landis.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxiv. ‘He drees the doom he ettled for me.’
1832–53. A. Laing, in Whistle-binkie (Sc. Songs), Ser. III. 29. I ’ll bless the doom I hae to dree That ettled her, my Highland maid, To dwell in Borristoun wi’ me!
3. To direct (speech or actions) to an object; esp. to aim (a blow or missile) at a person or a mark (also fig.); absol. or intr. to take aim (at).
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6399. He auntrid vpon Ector, atlit hym a dynt.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2322. To all you of atthenys þus atthill I my sawes.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 269. Bot Wallace … Folowed on him, and a straik etlyt fast.
a. 1500. Eger & Grine, 992, in Furniv., Percy Folio, I. 385. Grine … attilde him a dint that bote full well.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. ix. 37. Mynestheus … Onto the heid has halit wp on hie, Baith arrow and ene etland at the merk.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., I. i. (1849), 3. To ettle at butts.
1862. Hislop, Prov. Scot., 7. Aft ettle, whiles hit.
fig. 1830. Galt, Lawrie T., II. IV. xi. 90. I was persuaded he had something to ettle at me.
b. intr. To direct one’s course.
c. 1205. Lay., 25996. Here we nu þene eotond bi-lafuen and atlien [c. 1275 go we] to þan kinge.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 15. Þat Alixandre wiþ his ost atlede þidire.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7424. Ector eftirsons ettlyt on Achilles. Ibid., 8989. Eneas afterward etlit anone.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 66. Quhayr thikkest was the pres thar etlis he.
1876. Whitby Gloss., ‘Ill ettle for yam,’ Ill turn my steps homeward.
c. To aim at (a thing); to make an effort at.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., I. ii. When a they ettle at—their greatest wish Is to be made o’ and obtain a kiss.
1820. Scott, Monast., II. 130. They that ettle to the top of a ladder will at least get up some rounds.
1873. F. K. Robinson, in Gloss. W. Riding Yorksh. (E. D. S.), s.v. Ettle, I’ve been ettling after a new place.
4. To arrange, set in order, range; to prepare.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., ix. 35. Hire teht aren … Evene set ant atled al.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2376. Arowes and other geire atled I anon.
b. refl. To prepare oneself. Cf. 1 c.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1157. Þan etils him sir Alexander.
1515. Scot. Field, 180. Our english men ful merrilye attilde them to shoote. Ibid., 318. Soe eagerly with Ire attilld them to meete.
II. 5. trans. To guess, conjecture, divine. Also absol.
c. 1205–75. [cf. ETTLING vbl. sb.].
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 813. Alisaundrine anon atteled þat time, & knewe wel bi hire craft. Ibid., 941. Alysaundrine anon attlede alle here þouȝtes.
Hence Ettlement, intention. Ettler, a schemer, an aspirant.
1787. Grose, Provinc. Gloss, Ettlement, intention.
1825–79. Jamieson, Ettlement, intention.
1823. Galt, R. Gilhaize, II. xxx. 298. His father, through all the time of the first King Charles, an eydent ettler for preferment.
