v. Also 5 besprengil, 6 by-, besprincle, -ckle, -ckel. [ME. besprengil, *besprenkel, f. BE- 1 and 4 + sprenkel, freq. of sprengen to asperse; besprinkle is therefore in form the freq. of BESPRENG.] Hence Besprinkled ppl. a.
1. trans. To sprinkle all over with small drops (of liquid), or with powdery substance, as flour, salt.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 26. That was all besprengild with his blessyd blode.
1534. More, On the Passion, Wks. 1295/2. They shoulde bysprincle the postes … with the bloud.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea (1847), 58. To keepe cleane the shippe; to besprinkle her ordinarily with vineger.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. lii. 273. The walls were besprinkled with holy water.
1835. Paul, Antiq. Greece, I. II. iv. § 8. [He] was also thrice besprinkled with water.
b. predicated of the fluid.
1738. Glover, Leonidas, V. 657. The gory drops besprinkle all his shield.
1872. Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. lxvi. 14. Scarce a drop of rain would venture to besprinkle their splendour.
2. fig. To strew with (comparatively) small things scattered about; to spot, to dot; to intersperse with any elements diffused throughout.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. 258. All our good workes are continually besprinckled with many filthy spottes.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. viii. (1686), 22. [He] hath besprinkled his work with many fabulosities.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 40. Besprinkling all their sermons with plenty of Greek and Latin.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes (1850), 54/1. Sloping banks besprinkled with pleasant villas.
1861. Lady Wallace, Mendelssohn’s Lett., 303. We … besprinkled each other mutually with great praise.
† 3. transf. To water, moisten (as streams). Obs.
1611. Speed, Theat. Gt. Brit., xxx. (1614), 39/1. Vallies besprinkled with many sweet springs.
1623. Favine, Theat. Hon., II. xiii. 202. A million of Riuers that water and besprinkle France.
