Obs. Forms: 5 spetil, 6 spettill, spettyl, 7 -ell; 6–7 spetle, spettle. [repr. OE. spǽtl, var. of spátl SPATTLE sb.1, or modification of spattle after SPETE v. and SPET v. Cf. SPITTLE sb.] Spittle, spit. (Freq. c. 1575–1650.)
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 240. Sutil and thyn spetil that descendyth or comyth doune fro the Palete of the mouth.
c. 1520. M. Nisbet, John ix. 6. He spittit into the erd, and made clay of the spettill [1535 Coverd. spetle].
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., II. vi. (1886), 22. She will put spettle privilie upon hir cheeks, and seeme to weepe.
1608. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. IV. Decay, 617. Hee spets at Heav’n, And his owne spettle in his face is driven.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet. (1653), A iij b. Thy Cheeks on each side bored through appeare; Thorough whose holes (the slavering spetles vent) The Teeth [etc.].
1693. Dryden, Persius, I. 210. No Blood, from bitten Nails, those Poems drew; But churn’d, like Spettle, from the Lips they flew.
transf. 1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 294. The swette of heauen or as it were a certeyne spettyl of the starres.
