dial. Corruption of THILL1.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xviii. (Roxb.), 139/1. The shafts, are the side of the thrill or thill.
1772. Sterne’s Tr. Shandy, VII. xv. Wks. V. 93 (Jod.). The thrillhorse [edd. 1765, 1776 thill-horse] trotting.
1886. Cheshire Gloss., s.v. Cart, Two longitudinal pieces, known as thrill bars or mid thrills, are morticed into the binders, and these support the boards which form the bottom of the cart.
1887. S. Cheshire Gloss., s.v. Cart, The shafts are also called thrills...; hence we speak of ‘thrill-gears’…, ‘a good thrill-hoss.’… But the simple word thrill, though still universally understood, is less commonly used than formerly.
