Obs. Also 7 batling. [f. BATTLE v.3 + -ING2.]

1

  (As manure battled pasture, or made it battle, and as battling pasture battled the cattle that fed or battled on it, it is in some cases not possible to be sure whether ‘fertile’ or ‘fertilizing’ is the notion intended.)

2

  1.  Nourishing or fattening to cattle; hence, fertile, productive, fruitful.

3

1548.  [see BATTLE v.3 1.]

4

1565.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., VII. (1593), 164. [It] tooke roote And thriving in the battling soyle in burgeons foorth did shoote.

5

c. 1590.  Greene, Fr. Bacon, ix. 4. The battling pastures lade [v.r. laid] with kine.

6

1662.  Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. 365. The fair pasture nigh Haddon … so incredibly battling of cattle.

7

  2.  gen. Nourishing, making to grow or thrive; fertilizing to soil; nutritious to man.

8

1555.  Fardle Facions, II. viii. 164. The battling breathe of the gentle Weast winde.

9

1565.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., XV. (1593), 359. Udders full of batling milke.

10

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 556. A batling fruitfull slugh, or humour.

11