Forms: 5 suklinge, sukkelyng, 5–6 sokelyng(e, 6 suc(k)lynge, -elynge, 7 sucklin, 6– suckling. [f. SUCK v. + -LING1. Cf. MDu. sôgeling (Du. zuigeling, WFlem. zoogeling), MHG. sôgelinc, sûgelinc (G. säugling).]
1. a. An infant who is at the breast or is unweaned.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 463/1. Sokelynge, or he þat sokythe, sububer.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. viii. 2. Out of the mouth of the very babes & sucklinges thou hast ordened prayse.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 8. The place, that in infantes, and late borne sucklynges, is so soft, and tender.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 389. A louing mother, though her yoong suckling crie all night,… when she ariseth, she loueth it neuerthelesse.
1845. Wordsw., ‘Young England,’ 14. Let Babes and Sucklings be thy oracles.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., III. 129. In this country at any rate, rickets is practically unknown amongst sucklings.
b. A young animal that is suckled; esp. a sucking calf; cf. SUCKLER 1.
1530. Palsgr., 272/1. Sokelyng a yong calfe.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., 43 b. Here next to my house, are my Sucklings, that are brought to their dammes to sucke thrise a day.
1655. Moufet & Bennet, Health’s Improv. (1746), 136. Calves are either Sucklings or Wainlings.
1693. Congreve, in Dryden’s Juvenal, XI. (1697), 285. The tend’rest Kid And Fattest of my Flock, a Suckling yet.
1731. Arbuthnot, Aliments, iv. (1735), 92. When an Animal that gives Suck turns feverish,… the Milk turns … to Yellow; to which the Suckling has an Aversion.
1821. Byron, Cain, II. ii. I lately saw A lamb stung by a reptile: the poor suckling Lay foaming on the earth.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), II. 590. Half the dogs pupped there are supposed to die of it while sucklings.
c. fig.
1806. H. K. White, Lett. to R. W. A., 18 Aug. This island, and its little suckling the Isle of Wight.
2. = SUCKER sb. 4. dial. Cf. SUCKLER 5.
1798. Trans. Soc. Arts, XVI. 345. The sucklings of my old trees transplanted.
