Forms: α. 5–6 sprencle, -kle, sprenkyll(e, 5 -kel. β. 5–6 sprynkil(l, 6 sprinkil(l, -kel; 5–6 spryncle, 6 -kle, sprincle, 6–7 sprinckle, 6– sprinkle. [Related to Du. sprenkelen (Kilian sprenckelen), G. sprenkeln, NFris. sprēnkeli, and to WFris. sprinkelje, LG. sprinkeln (MLG. in pa. pple. sprinkell).]
1. trans. To scatter in drops; to let fall in small particles here and there; to strew thinly or lightly.
α. c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xviii. 85. Þai … lakes þaire blude and sprenklez it apon þaire mawmets.
c. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 74. After þe fomentyng be sprenkled aboue puluis of bole, of sanguis draconis,… and sich like.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 470/2. Sprenkelyn, or strenkelyn, aspergo, conspergo.
1509. Fisher, 7 Penit. Ps., li. Wks. (1876), 110. He was made clene … with ysope dypped in the blode of certayne beestes and sprencled vpon hym.
1535. Coverdale, Exod. ix. 8. Let Moses sprenkle it [sc. ashes] towarde heauen before Pharao.
β. 1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 179 b. Some of her systers counseyled her to haue holy water euer redy at hande, & to spryncle it vpon hym whan he cometh.
1551. More, Utopia, II. v. (1895), 166. They burne swete gummes and speces for perfumes, and pleasaunt smelles, and sprincle about swete oyntmentes and waters.
c. 1613. Middleton, No Wit like Woman’s, IV. ii. If I sprinkled on the widow’s cheeks A few cool drops.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., i. 118. Sprinkle sordid Ashes all around.
1736. Bailey, Houshold Dict., s.v. Pork, Sprinkle upon them a little common salt.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 101. Afterwards let water be sprinkled over the shot.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xviii. (1842), 486. It is best mixed by … sprinkling the powder into it.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxv. Some of the poison was sprinkled on a leaf of lettuce.
fig. 1602. Shaks., Ham., III. iv. 124. Oh gentle Sonne, Vpon the heate and flame of thy distemper Sprinkle coole patience.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 102. If he sprinkle any Grace over the Platter, it’s a plain Symptom, that his Maw’s out of order.
absol. 1611. Bible, Lev. xiv. 7. He shall sprinckle vpon him … seuen times.
b. fig. To disperse, distribute or scatter here and there.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 29. Now are they sprencled & sparcled abrode, Lyke wyse as shyppes be docked in a rode.
1530. Palsgr., 730/1. He sprenkylleth his monay abrode as thoughe he cared nat for it.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., Pref. ¶ vi b. Some things that Virgill could not haue,… you finde, in my author sprinckled ouer all his worke.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. ix. 187. Besides cities, many private dwellings were sprinkled on mount Ephraim.
1686. A. Snape, Anat. Horse, II. vii. 82. Small branches do spring from this coronary vein, and are dispersed or sprinkled all down the surface or outside of the Heart.
1719. Young, Busiris, V. i. Behold thy troops are thin, Thy men are rarely sprinkled o’er the field.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., 6. Sprinkled along the waste of years Full many a soft green isle appears.
1879. H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, x. 184. There are sprinkled throughout society men to whom active occupation is a need.
2. To bedew, bespatter lightly, or powder (a thing or surface); to besprinkle. Usu. const. with.
14[?]. R. Glouc. Chron., 2761 (MS. Digby 205). Þe werke with his blode … men schulde sprencle.
1414. Brampton, Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.), 23. Sprenkle me, Lord! with watyr of terys.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVII. xcvii. 663. The threde is … wasshe and sprynclyd wyth water vntyll that it be whyte.
1544. Supplic. Hen. VIII., 41. Whom the blynde prestes doo bothe sence & spryncle with holy water.
1602. Kyd’s Sp. Trag., III. xii a. 67. Duly twice a morning Would I be sprinkling it with fountaine water.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 588. There are diuerse which … sprinkle the streets twice a daie because of the heat and dust.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 553. She sprinkl’d thrice, with Wine, the Vestal Fire.
1727. Swift, Descr. Morning, Wks. 1755, III. II. 41. The slipshod ’prentice from his master’s door Had par’d the dirt, and sprinkled round the floor.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VII. 311. Care should be used … to sprinkle them with salt if they continue to adhere.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, I. 307. She had sprinkled the face of her baby all over with large tears.
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 67. Let the whole stew, and then sprinkle it lightly with pepper.
1878. T. Hardy, Ret. Native, V. viii. The floor was merely sprinkled with rain, and not saturated.
refl. 1535. Coverdale, Jer. vi. 26. Gyrde a sacke cloth aboute the,… sprynkle thy self with aszshes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 153. It is no newes to the Bishoppes … to sprincle, and defile them selves with innocent bloude.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 185. For remedy, they wash their hands and sprinckle themselues … with that water.
fig. 1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 17. If so be my discredit … had been equal … to theirs, which sprinckle us with these blottes of blame.
1581. G. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., I. (1586), 23. I meant those, who though sprinckled with some imperfections, yet wrie rather to the good, then the euill.
1614. B. Jonson, Barthol. Fair, I. i. Why! we were all a little stained last night, sprinkled with a cup or two.
1836. H. Coleridge, North. Worthies (1852), I. 25. He takes care to sprinkle his letters with loyalty.
b. To dot, intersperse or diversify with something. Usu. in pass.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. 208. The Firmament … Spreads his blew curtain,… Sprinkled with eyes, speckled with Tapers bright.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 675/2. Wherby you wished the Irish to be sowed and sprinckled with the English.
1781. Cowper, Task, I. 164. A level plain Of spacious meads with cattle sprinkled o’er.
1804. C. B. Brown, trans. Volney’s View Soil U.S., 332. An irregular savannah … sprinkled with a few trees.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, vi. 67. A wide extent of country … sprinkled with farmhouses.
1892. Mrs. R. T. Ritchie, Rec. Tennyson, III. iv. 187. A road … ran across commons sprinkled with geese and with lively donkeys.
c. To color with small specks or spots.
Chiefly in passive, or techn. in bookbinding.
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 94. Dionysia has a brown or iron colour, sprinkled over with snow spots.
1818. Art Bookbinding, 19. The edges may now be coloured, sprinkled, or marbled, to fancy.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 374. He may perhaps observe it sprinkled over with black spots.
1885. C. G. W. Lock, Workshop Rec., Ser. IV. 241/2. Books may be sprinkled so as to resemble a kind of marble by using 2 or 3 different colours.
absol. 1835. Hannett, Bibliopegia, 90. Sprinkle very finely with black and then with brown. Ibid. Put about a teaspoonful of vitriol to a cup of the black, and sprinkle coarsely over.
† 3. To cleanse or purify. Obs. rare.
1535. Coverdale, Heb. x. 22. Sprenkled in oure hertes from an euell conscience.
4. intr. a. To spring or fly up in fine drops.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., Wks. (Grosart), V. 174. Bloud spilt on the ground sprinkles vp to the firmament.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 8. It will make the Water friske and sprinckle vp, in a fine Dew.
b. To rain or fall in fine or infrequent drops.
1778. W. H. Marshall, Minutes Agric., Observations 129. It began … to sprinkle. [Note] To sprinkle (or spit), to rain slow in largish drops.
1828. in Webster.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Note-bks., II. 249. The rain … continued to sprinkle.
