Forms: 6–9 todle, (9 taddle), 8– toddle. [Originally todle, Scotch and northern Eng.; origin obscure. Not orig. connected with tottle; synonymous with DODDLE. (It is doubtful whether sense 1 belongs here.)]
† 1. intr. To play or toy with. Obs. rare–1.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxxii. 11. He … todlit with hir lyk ane quhelp.
2. intr. To walk or run with short unsteady steps, as a child just beginning to walk, an aged or invalid person; also said of a similar walk or run of any animal.
c. 1600. Burel’s Pilgr., in Watson, Coll. Sc. Poems (1709), II. 22. [The mole] Quhiles dodling, and todling, Vpon fowr prettie feit.
17[?]. Allison Gross, x., in Child, Ballads (1884), II. 315/1. She’s turnd me into an ugly worm, And gard me toddle about the tree.
1783. Johnson, 29 May, in Boswell. I should like to come and have a cottage in your park, toddle about, live mostly on milk, and be taken care or by Mrs. Boswell.
1785. Burns, Halloween, y, The vera wee things, todlin, rin Wi’ stocks out owre their shouther.
1804. Charlotte Smith, Conversations, etc., I. 23. It would be curious … if I was to be tied to my mother’s apron string, and taddle about so.
1840. Thackeray, Catherine, vii. When his strength enabled him to toddle abroad.
1859. Holland, Gold F., xxiii. The first little lambs of the season toddle by the side of their dams.
1879. H. George, Progr. & Pov., IX. iv. (1881), 412. The child just beginning to toddle or to talk will make new efforts.
b. Hence, To walk or move with short easy steps; to go leisurely, to saunter, stroll; by playful or familiar meiosis, simply = walk, go.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), II. 167. Could na my love come todlen hame.
1803. R. Anderson, Cumberld. Ball., 59. Now, wi’ twee groats and tuppence, I’ll e’en toddle heame.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v., Come, let us toddle, is a familiar phrase, signifying, let us be going.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Words, Todle or Toddle, to walk, to saunter about.
1848. Thackeray, Bk. Snobs, xlviii. We toddled into the Park for an hour.
1882. G. J. Romanes, Anim. Intell., xii. 359. It [the hare or rabbit] merely toddles along with the weasel toddling behind, until tamely allowing itself to be overtaken.
c. fig. Said of the hurried flow of a shallow stream (compared to the running of a child).
a. 1774. Fergusson, Elegy Death Scots Music, x. Cou’d … todling burns that smoothly play O’er gowden bed, Compare wi’ Birks of Indermay?
1838. J. Struthers, Poet. Tales, 78 (E.D.D.). Owre hagg or hill, Whar Irvine todlin rins alang, A wee bit rill.
d. trans. To cause to toddle. rare.
1791. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 4 June. Catching me fast by the arm … she safely toddled me back.
¶ 3. intr. To bubble gently in boiling. Sc. (Improperly for tottle.)
1797. A. Douglas, N. Yr.’s Wish, Poems (1806), 67. A junt o’ beef, baith fat and fresh, Aft in your pat be todlin!
Hence Toddling vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
a. 1774. [see 2 c].
1861. Star & Dial, 4 Nov. The poor little child, the toddling innocent.
1905. Sir F. Treves, Other Side of Lantern, II. ix. (1906), 83. The grave of a toddling princess who was the joy of her father’s life.
Mod. Tired of toddling.
