sb. Forms: 4–7 sursengle, 5 surcyngylle, sorseynggle, 6 sursyngle, -cyngle, 6–8 sursingle, (7 erron. sussingle, 7, 9 circingle), 7– surcingle. [a. OF. sur-, so(u)rcengle, -sangle: see SUR- and CINGLE.]
1. A girth for a horse or other animal; esp. a large girth passing over a sheet, pack, etc., and keeping it in place on the animal’s back.
1390. Earl Derby’s Exped. (Camden), 13. Et pro viij burrewez, j sursengle, et j pare raynes.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xvi. 238. And eyther smote other in myddes of their sheldes that the paytrellys sursenglys and crowpers braste.
1553. in Kempe, Losely MSS. (1836), 139. 7 great horses, with horse cloths, sursyngles, bytts, hed stalls, &c.
1600. Surflet, Country Farm, I. xxviii. 177. To haue their cloathes put vpon their backes, either the linnen one to keepe the flies away, or else the woollen one to keepe them warme, and that they suffer him to make the same fast with a surcingle.
1668. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., Dict. Rust., 276. A Sussingle, a large Girt that Carriers use to binde or fasten their Packs withal.
1695. Lond. Gaz., No. 3132/4. One brown Gelding … some sign of a Sursingle tied across his Back, also a Curb on his near Hock.
c. 1720. W. Gibson, Farrier’s Guide, II. lxv. (1738), 220. A Strap may be fixed to the Breast-cloth, which may pass between his Fore-legs and be fastened to his Sursingle.
1816. Scott, Bl. Dwarf, x. ‘Thou maun do without horse-sheet and surcingle now, lad,’ he said, addressing the animal.
1882. Manchester Weekly Times, 25 March, 8/2. A surcingle was drawn over Jumbo’s back.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer, I. 151. Have you no cavesson, or breaking-bit, or web surcingle?
b. (See quot.)
1801. Felton, Carriages, Gloss., Surcingle, a leather strap and buckle, sewed to a chaise saddle, the same as a belly band to a housing.
2. A girdle or belt that confines the cassock. Now rare.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 68. This Gentleman … stragling by Temple-bar, in a massy Cassock and Surcingle.
a. 1683. Oldham, Wks. (1686), 75. Cassock, Sursingle, and shaven Crown.
1728. Pope, Dunc., II. 350. Each rev’rend Bard arose; And Milbourn chief … Gave him the cassock, surcingle, and vest.
1837. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. Grey Dolphin. He drew the buckle of his surcingle … tighter.
Hence † Surcingled pa. pple., fastened or girded with a surcingle; † Surcingler (nonce-wd.), one who wears a surcingle, a clergyman; † Surcingling (nonce-wd.), a flogging with a surcingle.
1598. Bp. Hall, Sat., IV. vi. Some pannel … Sursingled to a galled hackney’s hide.
1647. Ward, Simple Cobler (1843), 27. Comparing the … splender wherewith our Gentle-women were imbellished…, with the gut-foundred goosdom, wherewith they are now surcingled.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, III. i. 67. Indeed dry-bastings, cudgelings, surcinglings were too mean for a Knight.
1662. Tryal T. Tonge, 6. That there should be never a Lawn-Sleeve, never a Sursingler should have a hole to hide his head in.
