Also 5 owmlys, 6 umblys, vmblis, 7–9 (in comb.) umble-. [var. of NUMBLES: see also HUMBLE sb.]
1. The edible inward parts of an animal, usually of a deer.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 616. Tispatum, umbles.
14[?]. Nom., Ibid., 678. Hoc burburium, owmlys.
a. 1500. For to serve a Lord, in Babees Bk. (1868), 377. Brawne with mustard, umblys of a dere or of a sepe.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 1240. The vmblis of venyson … To fayre maistres Anne that shuld haue be sent.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, v. M 2. On umbles fat they feede, and broche, and broyle.
1587. Harrison, England, II. xix. (1877), I. 305. The ordinarie fee, and parts of the deere giuen vnto the keeper by a custome, who … hath the skin, head, vmbles, chine, and shoulders.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 585. Fine, daintie, and tender bodies, as … Umbles, Chickens, Calves feete, or any other good thing.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 208. They sell the flesh of them to the Chineses,… eating themselves onely the Umbles and Paunch.
1665. Pepys, Diary, 13 Sept. He did give us the meanest dinner, (of beef, shoulder and umbles of venison).
1725. Fam. Dict., Black Puddings;… the best Method to make them … is, to boil the Umbles of a Hog tender.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, I. ii. 175. Take the Umbles of a Deer, parboil them, clear of all the Fat from them.
1826. Scott, Woodst., iii. Where … monarchs … amused themselves with broiling the umbles, or dowsets, of the deer, upon the glowing embers.
b. transf. and fig. (of persons).
1536. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 137. I trust shortly to wash my hands in ye umbles of ye … knaves.
1611. Middleton & Dekker, Roaring Girl, III. i. A good well-set fellow, if his spirit Be answerable to his umbles.
1826. Scott, Woodst., xviii. I’ll give them leave to give mine umbles to the kites and ravens if they find me conferring my confidence where it is not safe.
2. attrib. in umble-pie. (Cf. HUMBLE PIE, and numble-pie s.v. NUMBLES β.)
1663. Pepys, Diary, 8 July. Mrs. Turner … did bring us an umble pie hot out of her oven.
1683. Accomplisht Lady’s Delight, 17. A dish of fruits. 18. An umble pye.
1728. E. Smith, Compl. Housew., A viij. First Course … Westphalia-Ham and Chickens … Venison Pasty … Umble-Pies.
1736. Bailey, Household Dict., s.v., [To make] An Umble Pye. Boil the umbles of a deer till they are very tender [etc.].
1864. Lowell, McClellan or Lincoln? Prose Wks. 1890, V. 158. Disguise it as you will, flavor it as you will, call it what you will, umble-pie is umble-pie, and nothing else.
