Also 6 wattell(e, 7 waddle, wadle. [Of obscure origin; possibly an altered form of WARTLE (which, however, does not appear so early in our quots.), due to assimilation to prec.
Usually believed to be identical with WATTLE sb.1 On the ground of the reading ‘a watel ful of nobles’ in two closely related MSS. of Piers Plowman C (where other MSS. have walet) it has been assumed that from the primary sense of ‘something intertwined’ (see prec.) was developed the sense ‘basket,’ and hence that of ‘wallet,’ which would be a possible source of the senses below. (Cf. Shaks. ‘wallets of flesh’: see WALLET sb.2) This explanation is connected with the view that wallet is a metathesis of watel; but in all probability the reading watel in Piers Plowman is merely a scribal error for walet.]
1. A fleshy lobe (usually bright-colored) pendent from the head or neck of certain birds, as the domestic fowl, the turkey, the guinea-fowl, etc.
1513. in Glover’s Hist. Derby (1829), I. App. 61. John Curson … bayryth a Cokatrice displayd, goulls with a hed in hys tayll, hys fette and hys wattelles assur.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. 158. Cockes … theyr wattelles oryent. Ibid., 166 b. Ginny Cocks, and Turky Cocks … haue no Coames, but only Wattles.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Barbe, La barbe d’un coq, a Cockes rattles, or waddles.
1653. H. More, Antid. Ath., II. xi. § 2. Nor are his [sc. the cock’s] Comb and his Wattles in vain, for they are an Ornament becoming his Martial Spirit.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Wattles,… Also the Gills of a Cock, or the red Flesh that hangs under a Turkey’s Neck.
1725. Bradley’s Family Dict., s.v. Pigeon, The Leghorn is a Sort of Runt, only distinguished by a little Wattle over his Nostril.
1768. Pennant, Brit. Zool., I. 212. Their combs and wattles purple and yellow. Ibid. (1781), Genera of Birds, 9. On each side of the base of the bill, a red, thin fleshy membrane, or Wattle, of a round form.
1788. J. White, Jrnl. Voy. N. S. Wales (1790), 144. [The Wattled Bee-eater] Under the eye, on each side, is a kind of wattle, of an orange colour.
1812. Crabbe, Tales, i. 380. From red to blue the [turkey’s] pendent wattles turn.
1852. J. Baily, Fowls, 38. The game cock is of bold carriage;… his face and wattle a beautiful red color.
1854. Poultry Chron., II. 90. Cocks. Bright red comb, wattle and face.
1867. S. W. Baker, Nile Trib., iii. (1872), 45. The only species of guinea-fowl that I have seen in Africa is that with the blue comb and wattles.
b. transf. (Cf. GILL sb.1 3 b.)
1910. ‘Q’ (Quiller-Couch), Lady Good-for-Nothing, I. xi. Once, it seemed to me, I detected the wattles of your worthy fellow-magistrate. He ought not to strain that neck; you should warn him of the danger.
c. slang. (See quots.) ? Obs. rare–0.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Wattles, Ears.
1848. Sinks of Lond., 129. Wattles, the ears.
2. A flap of skin pendent from the throat or neck of some swine.
1570. Levins, Manip., 38/27. Ye Wattle of a hog, neuus.
1611. Cotgr., Goitrons, Waddles, or wattles; the two little and long excrescences, which hang, teat-like, at either side of the throat of some hogs. Ibid., Gouytrouz, Swines wadles.
1879. J. Wrightson, Swine, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 351/2. The ‘wattles’ or skinny appendages situated upon either side and below the cheek.
b. A similar excrescence on the jaws of sheep or goats. See also quot. 1725 (prob. a mis-use).
1725. Bradley’s Family Dict., s.v. Goat, The Buck or the He-goat ought to have a large Body, thick Legs [etc.],… his Ears should be long and hanging down, and his Chin cover’d with a long Beard, or his Jaws rather have two Wattles or Tufts like a Beard.
1842. Bischoff, Woollen Manuf., II. 330. Four-horned sheep are numerous in several parts, and a few have six horns; their forehead is convex, and there are wattles under the throat.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, vi. 81. There were some brown goats, too, with white eyebrows, and wattles hanging down at each side of their necks.
3. A fleshy appendage hanging from the mouths of some fishes; a barb.
1655. Walton, Angler, xviii. (1661), 231. This Loach is of the shape of the Eele: he has a beard or wattels like a Barbel.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 240. [A fish] having two small Cirri or wattles issuing out of the nose near the mouth.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, I. 321. The Barbel is said to have been so called from the barbs or wattles attached about its mouth.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 50. The barbs or wattles that depend from the sides of the mouth.
4. Comb.: (in sense 2) † wattle-faced, † -jawed. Also wattle-bird, (a) = wattle-crow; (b) the wattled or warty-faced bee-eater of Australia, Anthochæra carunculata and A. inauris; wattle-crow, any bird of the genus Glaucopis (G. cinerea and G. wilsoni), inhabiting New Zealand; wattle honey-eater = wattle-bird (b).
1773. Cook’s 2nd Voy., I. v. (1777), I. 93. The *wattle-bird, so called because it has two wattles under its beak as large as those of a small dunghill cock.
1859–62. Sir J. Richardson, etc., Mus. Nat. Hist., I. 314. The Long-eared Wattle-bird (Anthochæra inauris). Ibid., 315. The Short-eared Wattle-bird (Anthochæra carunculata)…. The Brush Wattle-bird (Anthochæra mellivora)…. The Lunulated Wattle-bird (A. lunulata).
1871. Bracken, Behind Tomb, 79. The wattle-bird sings in the leafy plantation.
1837. Swainson, Nat. Hist. Birds, II. 265. Subfam. Glaucopinæ. *Wattle Crows.
c. 1600. Middleton, Mayor Quinb., III. iii. I scorn thee, Thou *wattle-fac’d sing’d Pig.
1862. Wood, Illustr. Nat. Hist., II. 222. The Yellow *Wattle Honey-eater (Anthochæra inauris).
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Gt. Eater Kent, Wks. I. 147/2. Hee is *wattle-iawde, and his eyes are sunke inwarde.
