Kitling

Now dial. 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.

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter lvi. 5. Þe kitelinges of liouns.

1382.  Wyclif, Deut. xxxiii. 22. Dan, keetlyng of a lyon.

c. 1440.  Gesta 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.’

c. 1450.  [see KITTEN 1 b, quot. 1495].

1603.  Holland, 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.

a. 1530.  Johan & 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].

1605.  B. Jonson, Volpone, V. xi. Whether goe you, now?… to drowne kitlings?

1783.  Johnson, Lett. 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.

a. 1825.  Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Kitling, a young cat.

1894.  Crockett, 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.

1541.  Aberd. Reg., XVII. (Jam.). Calling of him theiff … howris geyt, preistis kitlyne.

1621.  Fletcher, Wild-Goose Chase, IV. iii. Out, kittlings! What catterwauling’s here!

1702.  De Foe, Good Advice to Ladies, 84. Come, says the patient Kitling, Husband come.

a. 1745.  Swift, 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.

1604.  Middleton, Father Hubbards T., E ij b. Like an old cunning Bowler to fetch in a yong ketling Gamester.

1648.  Herrick, Hesper., Oberon’s Feast. His kitling eyes.

1689.  Philopolites, Grumbletonian Crew, 2–3. A new Oath of Allegiance,… which every Kitling Critic of this Tribe takes upon him to censure.