Obs. Forms: α. 5 thorle-, thurlepolle, 6 thurle-, thyrlepole, thirlepolle, -poole. β. 6 thir-, thorpole. γ. 7 thorn(e)pole, thornpool. See also WHIRLPOOL. [perh. f. THIRL sb.1 + POLL sb.1, from the blow-holes or nostrils in the head: cf. quot. 1603.
If this was the etymology the name would be applicable to the Cetacea generally, although from the quots. it was, at least often, specifically applied. But the etymology is itself rendered doubtful by the synonyms WHIRLPOOL (1552: see quot. 1538) and HURLPOOL (1556), which show that in the 16th c. the first element was sometimes taken as THIRL v.3 to hurl, whirl, and the name thus app. identified with WHIRLPOOL, a vortex, from the commotion caused by its spouting or blowing. See however THURLHEAD.]
A whale, or some species or kind of whale.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 837. Salt Thurlepolle, salt whale, is good with egre wyne.
1513. Bk. Keruynge, in Babees Bk. (1868), 281. Samon, congre, sturgyon, turbot, thorpole, thornebacke, hounde-fysshe, & halybut.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 67 b. Greatte fyshes of the sea, as thurlepole, porpyse, and sturgeon. Ibid. (1538), Dict., Balæna, a greatte fishe, whiche I suppose to be a thurlepoll [edd. 1545, 1548 thirlepoole; 1552 whirlepoole].
1550. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. 105. By the sea coast a she fish was founde of a wonderfull greatnesse, called a thirlepoole.
1570. Levins, Manip., 160/41. A Thirlepoole, balena. A Hurlepoole, idem.
1577–8. Holinshed, Chron. (1807), II. 390. There were eleauen whales or thirlepooles cast on land.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., VI. xxxvi. The Dolphin strong, the Tunny good of tast … With Porpose, Seales, and Thornpooles.
1603. Owen, Pembrokeshire (1892), 127. The thornepole is of like forme … to the Porpisse … having a great round hole in the pole of his head, thoroughe the wch he vseth to spoute out water.
