| 释义 |
kitling Now dial.|ˈkɪtlɪŋ|
Forms: 3 kiteling, 4 keetlyng, 5 kytylyng, cytlyng, 5–6 kytling, -lyng(e, 6 kytlyn, kitlyng, -linge, Sc. -lyne, 6–7 ketlyng, -ling, 6–9 kitlin, -ling, kittling, 7–9 -lin, 8 Sc. -len.
[Commonly identified with ON. kettling-r, ketling-r (Norw. kjetlíng) kitten, dim. of kǫttr (stem kattu); though the form of the earliest Eng. instance, and the fact that the sense is not confined to ‘young cat’ make difficulties. But if from OE., the form would be *cyteling, of which no explanation appears.]
†1. The young of any animal; a cub, a whelp.
a1300E.E. Psalter lvi. 5 Þe kitelinges of liouns. 1382Wyclif Deut. xxxiii. 22 Dan, keetlyng of a lyon. c1440Gesta Rom. i. lix. 243 (Harl. MS.) Thenne saide the sarpent, ‘I am a beste, and I have her in myn hole kytlingis, that I have browt forthe’. c1450[see kitten 1 b, quot. 1495]. 1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 218 They [sea-weasels or sea-dogs] breed their young whelpes or kitlings alive within their bellies, and when they list, let them foorth.
2. A young cat, a kitten. Now dial.
a1530Johan & Tyb (Brandl) 591, I haue sene the day that pus my cat Hath had in a yere kytlyns eyghtene. 1530[see kittle v.2 1]. 1605B. Jonson Volpone v. xi, Whether goe you, now?..to drowne kitlings? 1783Johnson Let. to Miss S. Thrale 18 Nov., Bickerstaff..gives..an account of his cat. I could tell you as good things of Lily the white Kitling. a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Kitling, a young cat. 1894Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet 187 I'm ower auld a Pussy Bawdrons to learn new tricks o' sayin' ‘miauw’ to the kittlins.
†3. Applied to a person; either = child, offspring (cf. cub, whelp); or as resembling or acting like a kitten in some way. Obs.
1541Aberd. Reg. XVII. (Jam.) Calling of him theiff..howris geyt, preistis kitlyne. 1621Fletcher Wild-Goose Chase iv. iii, Out, kittlings! What catterwauling's here! 1702De Foe Good Advice to Ladies 84 Come, says the patient Kitling, Husband come. a1745Swift Wks. (1841) II. 59 Bid your mistress go hang herself..you whore's kitling.
B. attrib. or adj. Resembling a kitten or that of a kitten; inexperienced; diminutive.
1604Middleton Father Hubbards T. Wks. 1840 V, Like an old cunning bowler to fetch in a young ketling gamester. 1648Herrick Hesper., Oberon's Feast, His kitling eyes. 1689Philopolites Grumblet. Crew 3 A new Oath of Allegiance..which every Kitling Critic..takes upon him to censure. |
