[f. SPRINKLE v.1]
1. The action of the verb in various senses.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 83. With þe sprenclyng of his wengis, þe peper & þe sauce light vppon bathe thies gosseps.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 470/2. Sprenkelynge, or strenkelynge, aspercio, conspercio.
1535. Coverdale, Heb. xii. 24. The sprenklynge off bloude, that speaketh better then the bloude of Abel.
1608. Bp. Hall, Epist., 4. Your clericall shauings,… your crossings, creepings, censings, sprinklings, your cozening miracles.
1611. Cotgr., Espardement, a scattering, sprinkling, dispersing, dissipation.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 103. Immersion is not strictly necessary unto Baptism; but it may be perform’d even by Effusion or Sprinkling.
1846. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric., II. 59. The frequent sprinkling of the gypsum upon stable floors.
1874. H. H. Cole, Catal. Ind. Art S. Kens. Mus., App. 288. Rosewater Stand, surmounted by eight squirts for sprinkling.
2. A small quantity sprinkled or to be sprinkled.
1651. Davenant, Gondibert, II. i. 35. Bring Sprinklings, Lamp, and th’ Altar’s precious breath.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Dash, A soft Shower, or a sprinkling of Rain.
1727. Swift, City Shower, Wks. 1755, III. II. 38. Such is that sprinkling, which some careless quean Flirts on you from her mop.
1760. R. Brown, Compl. Farmer, II. 72. A little sprinkling of dung or mud upon rye-land will mightily advance a crop.
1835. W. Irving, Tour Prairies, 125. As could be seen by sprinklings of blood here and there on the shrubs.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 667. A sprinkling of salt, or of wood ashes,… may be scattered on the surface of the beds.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, iv. 36. A sprinkling of rain about his big brown beard.
3. fig. A small or slight quantity or amount.
1594. Nashe, Terrors of Night, Wks. (Grosart), III. 247. Men which haue had some little sprinkling of Grammer learning in their youth.
1600. Holland, Livy, XLIV. xxvi. 1186. Himselfe brought with him … some litle sprinkling of gold to deale among a few of them.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Epid., 32. It containeth strange and singular relations, not without some spice or sprinckling of all learning.
1693. Dryden, Disc. Satire, Ess. (Ker), II. 108. Some sprinklings of this kind I had also formerly in my plays; but they were casual, and not designed.
1706. A. Bedford, Temple Mus., iii. 62. The Noise may seem to pretend to a dash and sprinkling of Art.
1798. Jackson’s Oxf. Jrnl., 28 April, 4/4. Corn Exchange, April 23. We had a pretty sprinkling of Wheat fresh in this morning from Essex and Kent.
1840. Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), I. 152. We require a little sprinkling of philosophy.
1844. Mem. Babylonian Princess, II. 190. Few of these people are without some sprinkling of knowledge.
b. A small number scattered or distributed here and there.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xv. 182. We haue a sprinkling of our Gentry, heere and there one, excellently well learned.
1706. E. Gibson, Assize Serm. Popery, 3. A sprinkling of gray hairs foretels the approaches of old age.
1721. Mortimer, Husb. (ed. 2), II. 125. You may sow … a sprinkling of Carrots or Lettice between them the first Year.
1809. European Mag., LV. 20. There was a pretty good ‘sprinkling’ of genteel company … in the promenades.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 51. My native town had possessed … its sprinkling of intelligent, book-consulting mechanics and tradesfolk.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxv. 545. Every man … to whom a sprinkling of foreign words seemed an ornament of speech.
4. attrib., as sprinkling-brush, -cart, glass, -machine, -pitcher, water.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, Wks. (Grosart), III. 142. Following him, with his sprinkling glasse,… from place to place.
1648. Hexham, II. Een Bespruyt-kruycke, a Sprinkling, or a Spout-picher for gardens.
a. 1653. Gouge, Comm. Heb. ix. 9. There was also a sprinkling water to sprinkle on such as should be unclean.
1859. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., ii. 24. A man driving a sprinkling-machine.
1876. L. Stephen, Eng. Th. 18th C., I. IV. vi. 256. Even the same form of sprinkling-brush was retained.
1896. Harper’s Mag., XCII. 812/2. He simply handed in his resignation, and got a job at driving a sprinkling-cart.
