[prob., as Prof. Skeat suggests, an alteration of FURDLE v.
This cannot, however, be considered certain, as furdle may have been due to a mixture of furl and fardle. Cf. the synonymous F. ferler (by Littré regarded as adopted from Eng.), also early mod.F. fresler (cited s.v. FRILL).]
1. trans. ‘To roll up and bind (a sail) neatly upon its respective yard or boom’ (Adm. Smyth); to roll or gather up (a flag) into small compass. Also with up. To furl in a body, the bunt (see vbl. sb. 1).
1556. W. Towrson, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 113. Offering vs, if wee woulde, to furle his Flagges, and to be at our commaundement in all things.
1626. Sir F. Drake revived, in Arb., Garner, V. 500. A ship … which … had not yet furled her sprit-sail.
1647. Ward, The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America, 33. By furling up all the Ensignes.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., 24. A Sailor going up to furl the Main-Top-Gallant Sail, fell suddenly without any noise from the Main-Top over board, occasion’d as I suppos’d by a Fit.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5917/3. They furled their Colours and began to fly.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. ii. (ed. 4), 413. We were full five hours in furling our sails.
1775. Tender Father, II. 142. The method of furling up a pair of colours.
1842. Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 127. Till … the battle-flags were furl’d In the Parliament of man.
1876. J. Saunders, Lion in Path, vii. The fisherman furls his sail.
b. transf. and fig.
a. 1657. Lovelace, Poems (1864), 232.
| Yet say that out of order ther’s one curl, | |
| And all the hopes of your reward you furl. |
1659. D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 318. When providence has been pleased to furle up the foggy curtains of the Heavens.
1713. Gay, Guardian, No. 11, 24 March, ¶ 8. She on a sudden recovered her dimples, furl’d her fan, threw round her glances, and for these two Sundays last past has not once been seen in an attentive posture.
1742. Lond. & Country Brew., I. (ed. 4), 65. This Paper must be furled or twisted round the Bung.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, III. v.
| An Thalaba drew up | |
| The fastening of the cords; | |
| And Moath furl’d the tent. |
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xi. I hope my sister-in-law is well—furl up the bed-curtain.
1847. Alb. Smith, Chr. Tadpole, viii. (1879), 84. The umbrella was directly furled, and the unfortunate Mrs. Hamper sat face to face with Mrs. Gudge.
1861. Lytton & Fane, Tannhäuser, 15.
| But, furl’d beneath that florid surface, lurk’d | |
| A vice of nature, breeding death, not life. |
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 69. The eagle, who, I presume, had read how we were to have dominion over the fowls of the air (bald-headed eagles included), hovered sulkily a while over the river, and then, sailing slowly toward the woods on the opposite shore, alighted and furled his great wings on a huge cypress limb, that stretched itself out against the blue sky, like the arm of a giant, for the giant bird to perch upon.
† 2. To twist or curl (hair). In quot. absol. Cf. FRILL v. Obs.
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. II. Magnif., 742. One … Combs out at length her goodly golden locks … Th’other … Frizzles and Furls in Curls and Rings a-part.
† b. Of a lion: To ruffle (its mane). Obs.
1682. Tate, Abs. & Achit., II. 837. [The lion] Disdaining furls his mane and tears the ground.
† 3. To make undulations on (a surface); to furrow, wrinkle. Obs.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., x. § 1 (1689), 98. You may catch them with dibbing, or on a dark, gloomy, cloudy and windy day, that furls the Water, with the Cast-fly.
1742. Shenstone, Schoolmistress, 261. He … furls his wrinkly front, and cries, ‘What stuff is here!’ Ibid. (a. 1763), Odes, etc. (1765), 206. Nor bite your lip, nor furl your brow.
4. To swathe or envelope in or with something twisted or folded. Now rare.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 53, ¶ 8. A Purple Canopy furled with curious Wreaths of Drapery.
1806. A. Duncan, Nelson’s Funeral, 29. His staff tipped with silver.and furled with sarsnet.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circ., I. (1874), 184. When its flesh is furl’d Within a shroud.
5. intr. To become furled: to be rolled or gathered up in a spiral or twisted form; to curl up.
1676. Lond. Gaz., No. 1130/4. Her Foresail and Foretopsail furling aloft.
1686. J. Goad, Astro-meteorologica, I. ii. 2. A Fog which sometimes casts it self into Threds or Ropes, and by the warmth of the Sun furls up into Gossamere.
1816. Byron, Siege Cor., xi. The banners drooped along their staves And as they fell around them furling. Ibid. (1811), Juan, III. lxxii. Her … Turkish trousers furl’d Above the prettiest ankle in the world.
b. (with from, off.) To roll away (like passing clouds). Also (nonce-use) of the sky, to furl asunder.
1814. Prophetess, III. v. The Trojan ruins burning, and the skies Furling asunder, that the Gods may view Their dreadful warrants rig’rously fulfill’d.
1844. Lowell, Poems, Forlorn, viii. And years of misery and sin Furl off, and leave her heaven blue. Ibid., Captive, v. The dread, like mist in sunshine, Furled serenely from her mind.
1859. Miss Mulock, Romant. T., 206. The clouds furled off from the sky.
¶ 6. Misused for unfurl.
1798. Pennant, Hindoostan, II. 153. A lady … laid hold of an umbrella, and furling it full in the animal’s face, terrified it so that it instantly retired.
Hence Furled ppl. a. Also Furler, one who furls: only in comb., as sail-furler.
a. 1659. Cleveland, May Day, i. Why shroud Ye up your selves in the furl’d Sails of Night?
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 45. The sailfurlers (or other men who may be ordered) go below, and get the sail out of the sailroom ready for hooking on.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Gasket, a cord … to secure furled sails to the yard.
