Forms: 5–6 begle, 6 begele, 6– beagle. [Derivation obscure. The F. bigle is recognized as borrowed from Eng. The word can scarcely be of OE. origin, because of the hard g; in this position the g could not have escaped becoming palatalized. Possibly it is from F. bégueule, f. béer to gape, open wide + gueule throat. The OF. beegueulle, according to Godefroy, meant a noisy shouting person (crialleur); ‘open throat,’ in this sense, might be an epithet applied to a dog, though there is no evidence that it was so used in Fr.]
1. A small variety of hound, tracking by scent, formerly used in hunting hares, but now superseded by the Harrier, which sometimes takes its name.
c. 1475[?]. Sqr. lowe Degre, 771. With theyr begles in that place, And sevenscore raches at his rechase.
1548. Hall, Chron. Hen. VI., an. 27 (R.). The Frenchmen stil like good begeles following their prey.
1631. Quarles, Samson, Wks. (1717), 406. Quick-scented Beagles.
1704. Pope, Windsor For., I. 12. To plains with well-bred beagles we repair, And trace the mazes of the circling hare.
1862. Huxley, Lect. Wrkg. Men, 110. A physiological peculiarity … enables the Beagle to track its prey by the scent.
2. fig. One who makes it his business to scent out or hunt down; a spy or informer; a constable, sheriff’s officer, bailiff.
1559. Myrr. Mag., Jack Cade, xix. 2. That restles begle sought and found me out.
1570. B. Googe, Pop. Kingd., II. (1880), 17. Such preetie Begles haue these Bishops … That hunt out Prebendes fatte for them.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Maxims St. (1644), 45. To have their Beagles, or listner in every corner … of the Realm.
a. 1640. Day, Peregr. Schol. (1881), 70. He was saluted by a brace of beagles in blew.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VII. v. 377. Attorneys and Law-beagles, which hunt ravenous on this Earth.
3. attrib., as in beagle-chase, -dog, -hound.
1552. Huloet, Begle hounde, catellus.
1706. Lond. Gaz., No. 4223/4. A Beagle-Dog … with … Liver-coloured Spots upon his Ears.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., I. IV. viii. 471. Hot Beagle-chase, hot Stag-hunt, your chief game deer.
