Forms: 1 thol, ðoll, þol; 5–6 tholle, 6–8 thoule, 7–8 thowle, 8 thoul, 9 thowel(l, thowl, (thauel), 7– thole. [OE. pol(l, corresp. to ON. þollr, Norw. toll, tulle, Sw. (år) tull, Da. (aar) tol; MLG. dolle, dulle, dole, doule, LG. (Brem. Wbch.) dolle, dulle, EFris. dolle, dol, MDu. dolle, Da. dol(l. Ulterior etymology uncertain. In ON. þollr was also ‘fir-tree,’ poet. ‘tree’ generally: the connection of sense is not clear. The history of the Eng. word also shows a hiatus during nearly the whole ME. period.
The late altered forms thoule, thowle, and 19th c. thowel, may be influenced by doule, dowle, DOWEL.]
1. A vertical pin or peg in the side of a boat against which in rowing the oar presses as the fulcrum of its action; esp. one of a pair between which the oar works; hence, a rowlock.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.), 1820. Scalmus, thol.
c. 1000. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 289/9. Scalmus, ðoll.
1611. Cotgr., Scalme, a Thowle; the little peg whereby the oare of a Skiffe is staied.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, 62. In stead of thoules wee made stickes like Bedstaues.
1697. Dampier, Voy. round World (1699), 35. Straps … through which they put their Oars in rowing, instead of tholes or pegs.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Autarelles, the thoules or rowlock-pins of a galley.
1827. Roberts, Voy. Centr. Amer., 178. These oars are secured to the thowel by straps of raw hide.
1847. Longf., Evang., II. i. 102. The sound of their oars on the tholes had died in the distance.
1857. P. Colquhoun, Comp. Oarsman’s Guide, 29. The rowlock is composed of 3 parts; the thauel, against which you row [etc.].
1862. Whittier, Cry Lost Soul, iv. The guide … drops his oar against the gunwale’s thole.
2. A pin or peg in general: spec. a. A pin by means of which the shafts are fastened to the carriage or axle of a cart, etc. b. The handle or ‘nib’ of a scythe-snathe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 492/1. Tholle, carte pynne (or tolpyn, infra), cavilla.
1530. Palsgr., 280/2. Tholle a cartpynne, cheuille de charette.
1707. Sloane, Jamaica, I. p. lii. The use of … drums made of a piece of a hollow tree, covered on one end with any green skin, and stretch’d with Thouls or Pins.
1828. Webster, Thole, 2. the pin or handle of a sythe-snath.
1880. R. S. Charnock, Essex Gloss., Thole, the two pieces or handles of a scythe.
1910. H. Belloc, Mr. Clutterbuck’s Election, iv. The woodwork … was designed in the Cheshire fashion, with drawpins, tholes, and springheads tinctured to a sober brown.
