slang. Obs. Forms: 6–7 strommell, 7 stromell, 7–8 strommel, 8 stramel, strumil, 8–9 strammel, 6–9 strummel. [perh. a. AF. *estramaille, straw bedding, f. OF. estramer: see STRAMAGE.]
1. Straw.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1869), 63. Strommell, strawe. Ibid., 85. I towre the strummel trine vpon thy nabchet and Togman. I see the strawe hang vpon thy cap and coate.
1622. Fletcher, Beggars’ Bush, III. iii. To … Twang dell’s, i’ the stiromell [sic].
1641. Brome, Joviall Crew, II. F 2 b. The Bratling’s born, the Doxey’s in the Strummel, Laid by an Autum Mort of their own Crew.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, vi. 265. At Night he will tumble on Strumil or Hay.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxviii. You’ll eat the goodman’s meat, drink his drink, sleep on the strammel in his barn.
2. Hair.
1725. New Cant. Dict., Strommel,… Hair, as, She hath good Store of Strommel on her Nob.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Strummel, the hair of the head. To get your strummel faked in twig, is to have your hair dressed in style.
1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, III. v. With my strummel faked in the newest twig.
3. Comb.: strummell-patch a., a contemptuous epithet for a person.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., V. v. The horson strummell patch, Goggle ey’d Grumbledories.
