Obs. Also 6 whittel, whyttel(l, whityll, 6–7 whitle. [Usually taken to be a fig. use of next (cf. WHET v. 6), but evidence is wanting.] trans. To ply with drink, to make drunk, intoxicate; in pa. pple. excited by drink, drunk, intoxicated. Hence Whittled ppl. a., Whittling vbl. sb.
1530. Palsgr., 500. Whan he is well whyttelled, he wyll crake goodly of his manhode, quant il a bien beu [etc.]. Ibid., 844. Well whytled, nere dronken.
1543. Becon, Invect. agst. Swearing, 24. Whan they are once set vpon the ale benche, and well whytled in theyr braynes thorow the many cuppes that haue bene fylled in.
c. 1566. Merie Tales of Skelton, in Wks. 1843, I. p. lxiii. Skelton did fill all the cuppes … and whitled the frere.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 44. What? gorge vpon gorge, egges vpon egges, & sack vpon sacke?… Such egging and whitling may happen bring you acquainted with the triumphant chariot of rotten egges.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XIV. xxii. I. 427. When they … be throughly whitled,… then … the secrets of the heart are opened.
1652. Urquhart, Jewel, 126. Drinking healths,… whitling themselves with Septembral juyce.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. Prognost. v. 236. Whittled, Mellow, Cupshotten Swillers.
