Now dial. Forms: 4–5 þw-, thwitel, thwytel, 5 -elle, Sc. thewtill, quhittil, 6 thwitle, 7 thwittel, 7– thwittle: see also WHITTLE. [f. THWITE v. + -EL, -LE.] A knife, a whittle.
[c. 1325. Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 168. Coteus, thiwilet (? for thwitel).]
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 13. A Sheffeld thwitel [v.r. thwytel] baar he in his hose.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 218. A Scottis thewtill [ed. 1570 quhittil] wndyr thi belt to ber.
1664. Cotton, Scarron., 37. They rise and wipe their greasy thwittles.
1796. Pegge, Derbicisms (E.D.S.), With a Lancashire thwittle I thwited a flail-swipple.
1881. Antiquary, Feb., 87. A bill-hook has been substituted for the thwittle.
