Sc. and dial. Also 5–6 trynkel, 6 -kle; β. 6 tringle, thringle. [app. a nasalized modification of TRICKLE v.1]
1. intr. To trickle, to flow or fall drop by drop. Also fig. Hence Trinkling ppl. a.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Sompn. T., 156 (Camb. MS. Gg. 4. 27). With manye a tere trynkelynge [v.rr. trilling, triklyng] on myn cheke.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. v. 58. With teris trynkeland our his chekis and face.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Sonn., lv. 10. My trinkling teirs, the presents I propyne.
1687. Macfarlane, Geog. Collect. (S.H.S.), III. 145. Burns … are seen trinkling down the green Hills.
1794. Burns, ‘O Mally’s meek,’ 14. Her yellow hair … Comes trinkling down her swan-white neck.
1828. Craven Gloss., Trinkle, to trickle.
1832. Motherwell, Jeanie Morrison, ix. Tears trinkled doun your cheek.
β. 1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. xi. 14. The teris thringling [ed. 1553 trigling] furth our his chekis ran.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 558. So mony teir come tringland fra his ene.
2. trans. To cause to trickle; to shed (tears).
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae (revision), iv. Quhairon Apollos paramouris Had trinklit mony a teir.
Hence Trinkle sb. Sc. = TRICKLE sb. 1.
1887. Jamieson’s Dict., Suppl., Trinkle, a drop, series of drops, falling or fallen, as from a leaking vessel or a spout; a continuous dropping, or a slender thread of falling liquid;… a trinkle of blood.
1905. in Eng. Dial. Dict.
