Forms: α. 3 kundlen, kindlen, (Orm. kinndlenn), 3–5 kindel(l, kyndel(l, -il(l, -yl(l, (4 kinl-, kynl-), 5–6 kyndle, 5– kindle (mod.Sc. kynnle, kinnle). β. 4–6 kendyl, (6 Sc. -yll), 5–6 Sc. -ill. [app. f. ON. kynd-a to kindle (trans. and intr.) + -LE: cf. ON. kyndill a candle, torch.]
In most of the senses up may be added as an intensive.
1. trans. To set fire to, set on fire, ignite, light (a flame, fire, or combustible substance).
c. 1200. Ormin, 16135. Hat lufess fir … Iss kinndledd i þatt herrte.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xvii. 9. Koles … Kindled ere of him glouand.
c. 1300. Havelok, 915. Stickes kan ich breken and kraken, And kindlen ful wel a fyr.
1388. Wyclif, Judg. xv. 4. He … boond brondis in the myddis, whiche he kyndlid with fier.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 107. Dame … kendill on ane fyre.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Æsop, I. xiii. [He] put to gyder grete habondance of straws … and kyndeled it with fyre.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 24. Soom doe set on caldrons, oothers doe kendel a bauen.
1607. Shaks., Cor., III. i. 197. Fie, fie, fie, this is the way to kindle, not to quench.
1646. Boyle, Lett. to Marcombes, 22 Oct., Wks. 1772, I. p. xxxi. These two flints are striking such sparks, as are likely to kindle a fine bonfire for the English.
1707. Watts, Hymn ‘Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove,’ i. Kindle a Flame of sacred Love In these cold Hearts of ours.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 11. A man must be a long time kindling wet straw into a vile smothering flame.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., I. 40. Kindle the phosphorus with a piece of bent iron brought to a state of ignition in the fire.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 31. Bidding the elder boys and girls kindle up the fire.
1871. R. H. Hutton, Ess., II. 122. Wordsworth seems to kindle his own poetic flame like a blind man kindling his own fire.
2. intr. Of a fire, flame, or combustible matter: To begin to burn, catch fire, burst into flame.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 296. Þe sparke … keccheð more fur … And þe deouel bloweð to from þet hit erest kundleð.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxvii[i]. 25 [21]. Fire kindeled ful brinnand þare In Iacob.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVII. iv. (W. de W.), 606. Gleymy fatnesse … of this tree Abies kyndlyth full soone and brennyth wyth lyght leyle.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), P iij b. In great thycke and dry busshes, the fyres kendle moste easyly.
1679. Bedloe, Popish Plot, 15. They know not how it [a fire] came to kindle there.
1719. Young, Busiris, II. i. Think not, Mandane, this a sudden start; A flash of love, that kindles and expires.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 45. A spark of heavenly fire … which kindles up and blazes in the hour of adversity.
1848. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xii. My eye … caught a light kindling in a window.
3. fig. trans. a. To inflame, excite, rouse, inspire (a passion or feeling).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6791. And sal mi wrath be kindeld sua.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 240. Þis wolde kyndele oonhede and love.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 64. It is the synne of pride, and engenderithe and kendelithe lechery.
1547–8. Ordre of Commvnion, 9. We kyndle Gods wrathe ouer vs.
1638. Penit. Conf., viii. (1657), 235. Kindling in his heart faith, whereby he is justified.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., II. Wks. 1813, I. 145. The protestant army, whenever it came, kindled or spread the ardour of reformation.
1874. Green, Short Hist., iii. § 5. 141. The wholesale pillage kindled a wide spirit of resistance.
b. To inflame, fire, excite, stir up (a person, the mind, etc.); to make ardent or eager. Const. † in († of), to, or with inf.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 19436 (Cott.). Eth es to kindel þat es kene. Ibid. (c. 1340), 15390 (Trin.). Of al venym and of envye ful kyndeled he was.
c. 1440. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (ed. 2), 227/620. Kindele þou me in charitee.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. 131. This kindled us more egre to enquire.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. i. 179. Nothing remaines, but that I kindle the boy thither.
1657. Trapp, Comm. Nehem. i. 4. These good men … by mutual confidence kindle one another.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 21. Some discontented Lord … would have quickly kindled with equal heat a troop of followers.
1824. Byron, Juan, XVI. xli. The thrilling wires Died from the touch that kindled them to sound.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, xvi. 9. It shall kindle an icy thought to courage.
c. To arouse or give rise to († care, trouble, etc. (obs.), war, strife).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24149. Ye Iuus þat kindeld all þis care.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 37. Thai kindel baret wit bacbiting.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 1121. It semyt be thair contenance that kendillit wes care.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. viii. 99. As scho thus kyndillis sorow and wo.
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., xi. 48. Throw the is kendlit ciuil weir.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., II. xxix. 151. He took measures for kindling a war with England.
1764. Goldsm., Hist. Eng. in Lett. (1772), I. 95. The wars that were now kindled up between England and France.
1847. Mrs. A. Kerr, Hist. Servia, 312. Time was gained for kindling the revolution in the neighbouring districts.
4. intr. a. Of passion or feeling († care or trouble): To rise, to be aroused, to be excited.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 6791 (Trin.). Þenne shal my wreche kyndel [other MSS. be kindeld].
a. 1352. Minot, in Pol. Poems (Rolls), I. 62. Rough-fute riveling, now kindels thi care.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2724. Myn angire on þine arrogance sall at þe last kindill.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 94. Quhen kissis me that carybald, than kyndillis all my sorow.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xlii. (1869), II. 553. Their mutual resentment again kindled.
1845. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 18. As their fury kindled, they pushed into the nave of the building.
b. To become inflamed, ardent or warm; to glow with passion or excitement; to become eager or animated.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6575. Then Alcanus, the kyng, kyndlit in yre.
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568), II. 775. The Queene … began to kindle and chafe, and speake sore byting wordes.
1666. Bunyan, Grace Ab., § 91. The words began thus to kindle in my spirit.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 27. We are both apt to kindle, warm of resentment.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 97. He kindled into warmth with the ardour of his contest.
1888. Burgon, Lives 12 Gd. Men, II. xii. 383. Very pleasant it was … to see the dear fellow kindle at the mention of Hebron and Jerusalem.
† c. To spread like fire. Obs. rare.
a. 1350. St. Matthew, 28, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 132. Þe meruailes of þir mawmettes two Thwrgh all þe cuntre kindeld so.
5. trans. To light up as with fire; to make bright or glowing. Also with up.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, II. 537. The fires expanding … Shoot their long beams, and kindle half the skies.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xxii. 63. One of those intensely golden sunsets which kindles the whole horizon into one blaze of glory.
1860. Hawthorne, Marb. Faun, 364. Brilliant costumes largely kindled up with scarlet.
1881. Freeman, Sk. Venice, 95. The mighty campanile of Spalato rises, kindled with the last rays of sunlight.
b. intr. To become glowing or bright like fire.
1797. Campbell, Wounded Hussar, iii. Dim was that eye, That melted in love, and that kindled in war!
1810. Southey, Kehama, VII. v. The Orient,… Kindles as it receives the rising ray.
1823. F. Clissold, Ascent Mt. Blanc, 23. The western arc of the misty circle kindled, from a rosy to a deep reddening glow.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., xvii. Hereward’s face reddened and his eyes kindled.
Hence Kindled ppl. a.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 275/1. Kynlyd, as fyyr…, accensus, succensus.
1561. Norton & Sackv., Gorboduc, II. ii. (1847), 120. The fiery stedes did drawe the flame With wilder randon through the kindled skies.
c. 1632. Poem, in Athenæum, No. 2883. 121/3. When the furious Doggstarr raves throughout The Spanish soyle, which smoakes like kindled flax.
1767. Sir W. Jones, Seven Fountains, in Poems (1777), 48. The magick water pierc’d his kindled brain.
1898. Daily News, 2 April, 5/5. The kindled sentiments of the Spaniards.
