Obs. exc. dial. [Cf. SPRINKLE v.1, and the synonymous G. (rare) sprenken, NFris. sprēnk(e.] trans. To sprinkle.

1

c. 1400.  in Househ. Ord. (1790), 469. With a feder sprinke and spot the congour.

2

c. 1440.  Psalmi Penit. (1894), 28. With holi water thu schalt me sprinke.

3

1589.  Fleming, Virg. Georg., III. 40. The adder woonted … to sprincke hir strong poison vpon cattell.

4

1596.  Warner, Alb. Eng., XI. lxiv. (1602), 276. With yearely hallowed Mosca, which the Primate hauing blest, He thinks … him in Heauen already whom the primat sprinks with it.

5

1632.  Heywood, Iron Age, II. III. i. Fatall Pyrhus … That in the shadow of this sacred place Durst sprinke the childs blood in the fathers face.

6

1866–89.  in Lincoln dial. glossaries.

7

  Hence † Sprinker, a sprinkler. Obs.

8

1648.  Hexham, II. Een Quispel, a Sprincker, or a thing to cast water upon [sic].

9