Chiefly, now only, Sc. and north. dial. Forms: α. 6– thrumble, (9 thrummle). β. 6 thrimbil, thrymble, thrimle, thrymle, thrimmil, 8 thrimmle, 9 thrimal, thrimmel, 7– thrimble. [app. a derivative of THRUM v.1 Cf. obs. Du. or Flem. ‘drommel, res simul compactæ et densæ; res compactiles’ (Kilian); Du. in een drommel verzamelen, to crowd together.]
1. trans. To press, compress, squeeze; to crowd or heap together.
α. 1589. Bruce, Serm. Sacram., iii. I v. Peter … sayis: Thou art thrumbled and thrusted be the multitude, and zit thou speeris quha hes twitched thee.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVI. xxxix. 614. So thrumbled [L. conglobati] they were and thrust togither disorderly. Ibid. (1603), Plutarch’s Mor., 258. Wicked and leawd folke, who gather, thrumble, and heape up together all sorts of gaine.
β. 1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. ix. 67. Twa bodeis of our sort he [Polyphemus] tuke and raif; Intill his hiddius hand thaim thrimbillit and wrang. Ibid., V. xiii. 93. The fers Achil … Chasand affrayit Troianis … The gret rowtis to the wallis thrymbland.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scotl. (S.T.S.), I. 49. Marr lyes on the costsyde neist, thrimmilit … as it war intil a narrow boundes, in ane parte, bot in ane vthir parte … braider.
1836. M. Mackintosh, Cottager’s Dau., 73. The cruel boot, too, I hae hane Thrice thrimal’d on my leg.
b. intr. To make one’s way by pushing or jostling; to push, jostle.
1500–20. [implied in thrumbler below].
a. 1598. Rollock, Serm., Wks. 1849, I. 493. She thrumbleth and thrusteth in at the gates of heaven.
1638. Adamson, Muse’s Threnodie, i. (1774), 23. With kind embracements did we thurst and thrimble, (For in these days I was exceeding nimble).
1901. W. Morrison, Johnston of W., vi. 37. Even with all their help they could scarce ‘thrumble through.’
2. trans. To press or rub between the finger and thumb; to finger, handle.
1632. Sherwood, To thrumble, frotter entre les doigts.
1789. Davidson, Seasons, 36. Taylors, fain the gear to thrimmle Of coward coofs.
1828. Craven Gloss., Thrimble, to pull or draw out with reluctance, to press…. ‘He thrimbl’d out his sixpence wi’ a deal to do.’
1906. J. Patterson, Wamphray, iv. 104. [Others] after ‘thrimmling’ the money in their fingers paid part of what they owed.
Hence † Thrumbler, in 6 thrimlar, Sc. Obs. rare–1, one who thrumbles, or makes his way by pressing; a hustler; Thrumbling vbl. sb.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxiii. 47. Thrimlaris and thristaris, as thay war woid, Kokenis, and kennis na man of gude.
1649. Kenmure, Sp., in Sel. Biog. (Wodrow Soc.), I. 398. The Kingdom of Heaven is not gotten but with much seeking, thrumbling and thrusting.
