Also 4–6 gyngle, 5 gyngel, gingelle, 6 gingil, iyngel, iengle, 7–9 gingle. [Imitative: cf. dingle, tinkle, Du. jengelen, and G. klingeln. There does not appear any original association with JANGLE.]
1. intr. To give forth a mingling of ringing sounds, as by the striking together of coins, keys, or other small metallic objects; it expresses a more prolonged and continuous sound than clink, and a more complicated one than tinkle.
c. 1386. Chaucer, C. T., Prol. 170. Whan he rood men myghte his brydel heere Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere And eek as loude as dooth þe Chapel belle.
1530. Palsgr., 566/1. I gyngyll, I make a noyse, as thinges of metall do whan they be shaked togyther.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. x. 213. To haue a great sort of siluer sounded belles, gynglyng aboute their horse neckes.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I. (1879), 147. Their bels iyngling.
1607. Middleton, Five Gallants, II. iii. D ij. To heare my mony gingle in other mens pockets.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., A Gallant (Arb.), 39. Hee … takes great delight in his walke to heare his Spurs gingle.
1653. A. Wilson, Jas. I., 110. Her chains gingle as she came.
1824. Byron, Juan, XV. lxx. The glasses jingled, and the palates tingled.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, xxi. I. 173. The bells … gingled.
1871–4. J. Thomson, City Dreadf. Nt., IX. ii. The harness jingles, as it passes by.
b. transf. and fig. (Cf. ring.)
1659. D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 76. How their roaring oaths gingle in their mouthes.
1867. Fortn. Rev., Oct., 379. There is not one word in the whole quotation but jingles false.
c. To proceed or move with a jingling sound.
1732. Pope, Ep. Bathurst, 37. From the crack’d bagg the dropping Guinea spoke … gingling down the back-stairs.
1870. Emerson, Soc. & Solit., Clubs, Wks. (Bohn), III. 93. To fairly disengage the mass, and send it jingling down, a good bowlder.
1894. Mrs. Ritchie, Chapters from Mem., iii. 36. A yellow carriage jingled by.
d. quasi-trans. with it.
1631. Brathwait, Whimzies, II. Pedler, 19. Here the Guga-girles gingle it with his neat nifles.
2. trans. To cause (something) to emit a mingling of ringing sounds.
1508. Kennedy, Flyting w. Dunbar, 506. Bot gif it war to gyngill Iudas bellis.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, iii. (1570), C ij/1. The kitchin clarke … Iengling his counters.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 172. Fannes of brasse, hung about with rings, which they gingle in stops according to their marchings.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. W., xlv. Another … gingles several bells fixed to his cap.
1874. Burnand, My Time, xi. 93. Jingling his keys in one pocket.
3. intr. a. Of prose or verse: To sound with alliteration, rhymes, or other repetitions.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 67. Then comes the joy of joyes, when the parts jingle, or begin with the same letter; and especially if in Latin.
1780. Howard, Prisons Eng., 115. In this chamber on the wall is inscribed a gingling verse,… Ad mala patrata, sunt atra theatra parata.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xv. III. 535. Compositions of all sorts, from sermons with sixteen heads down to jingling street ballads.
b. To play with words for the sake of sound; (depreciatively) to rhyme.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. xvi. 113. Rich in Latine, though he doth not gingle with it in every company.
1708. Ockley, Hist. Saracens, Pref. p. xvi. At other times jingling upon Words.
1724. Pope, Lett., 13 July. I should be sorry and ashamed, to go on jingling to the last step.
1785. Burns, First Ep. Lapraik, ix. Whene’er my Muse does on me glance, I jingle at her.
c. trans. To rhyme. (depreciative.)
1894. F. Hall, in Nation (N.Y.), LVIII. 252/1. Carlyle, in turn, I have more than once seen spoken of as having first jingled end with mend.
Hence Jingle-jingle, reduplication of the vb.-stem, used advb. = with continued jingling.
1664. Cotton, Scarron., iv. Poet. Wks. (1765), 85. Gingle gingle went her Bridle.
