Also 6 tour-, tor-, 6–7 -moile, -moyle, 7 moyl. [Found along with TURMOIL sb. early in 16th c.; origin unascertained. There is no corresp. word in French, but some have conjectured a connection with OF. tremouille (Cotgr.), in 17th c. tremuye, mod.F. trémie de moulin mill-hopper, in reference to its constant motion to and fro. The sb. is app. from the verb. In sense 3 app. associated with moil.]
1. trans. To agitate, disquiet, disturb; to throw into commotion and confusion; to trouble, harass, worry, torment. Often to toss and turmoil. Now somewhat rare.
1530. Tindale, Gen., Pref. A iij. I was so turmoyled in the contre where I was that I coude no longer there dwell. Ibid. (1530), Answ. to More, III. xiii. The matter in the meane tyme is turmoyled and tossed among them-selues.
1552. Latimer, Serm. Luke ii. 6, 7 (1584), 279 b. Heritickes do wrongfully violate, tosse, and turmoyle the scriptures of God.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 372. Yet of all other were Zelmanes braines most turmoyled, troubled with loue both actiue and passiue.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., II. 39. After hee had beene tormoiled with many troubles.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, I. 381. Haughty Juno, who, with endless broils Earth, seas, and heav’n, and Jove himself, tormoils.
1746–7. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1862), II. 454. Mr. Stanley and twenty fiddle faddles have turmoiled me all the morning.
1862. Zoologist, XX. 8151. Mr. Beilby … could not be turmoiled with disputes of any kind.
1894. W. Walker, Hist. Congregat. Ch. U.S., 53. The quarrel which was to turmoil the early Amsterdam life of this little communion had its beginnings in London.
b. To disorder or distress physically. arch.
1542. Lam. & Piteous Treat., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), I. 241. Our shippes of warre, rydyng alongest the coste, were woondrefully turmoyled.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, II. (1577), M vij b. A great throng of people caryed him to the ynne aboue grounde, all tourmoyled and without his cappe.
1601. Dolman, La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618), III. 746. The seas are much turmoiled with tempests.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), 41. Hee will tosse, turmoile, and ransacke euery corner of the house.
1657. Trapp, Comm. Ps. lxxvii. 17. The Lord … so troubled and turmoiled them with stormy tempests.
1867. J. B. Rose, trans. Virgil’s Æneid, 145. Aeolus … let loose his slaves And on your ocean empire turmoiled waves.
† c. refl. Obs.
c. 1511. Colet, Serm. Conf. & Ref., B viij. Religious men … nat to turmoile them selfe in busynes, nother secular nor other.
1530. Proper Dyaloge, 191, in Roy, Rede me, etc. (Arb.), 139. We tourmoyle oure selfes nyght and daye … For to maynteyne the clargyes facciones.
1611. A. Stafford, Niobe, 202. Hee hath turmoiled himselfe through-out all the six Ages of the world.
1651. C. Love’s Case, 53. How doth he here toyl and turmoyl himself to salve the honor of his Conscience.
1720. Mrs. Manley, Power of Love (1741), 76. After turmoiling himself for some Hours, he saw the Stone was cast, and that it was in vain now to repine.
† d. With advb. extension: fig. To drive or throw roughly or without ceremony. Obs.
1588. G. D., Brief Discov. Dr. Allen’s Sedit. Drifts, 112. They were imprisoned, tossed, and turmoyled from place to place.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. ix. 39. But thus turmoild from one to other stowre I wast my life.
1602. Contention betw. Liberality & Prodigality, IV. i. D iij b. I haue bin turmoyled From post to piller.
† 2. intr. To be or live in turmoil, agitation, or commotion; to move agitatedly or restlessly. Obs.
c. 1540. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden), I. 186. Then Eugenius the viij. Fergusius the iij. bothe continuallie weltered and turmoyled in fillthie vices.
1548. Recorde, Urin. Physick, ii. (1651), 4. If the way by any means be stopped, then the water turmoileth and laboureth.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 134. Nowe that God hathe made a restraynte, he rageth and tourmoyleth.
1618. G. Strode, Anat. Mortalitie, 9. Wee are all like vnto sicke men, which turmoile and tosse from one side of the bed vnto the other.
1681. in Lond. Gaz., No. 1640/6. Continual overflows of violent Misrule … turmoiling to a common Chaos.
3. intr. To toil, drudge; cf. MOIL v. 3. Now dial.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VII., 41. Cornyshmen … gate their lyuyng hardly … bothe daye and night labouryng and turmoylyng.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man, VI. (1603), 574. What doe men but digge and turmoile in the earth?
1652. C. B. Stapylton, Herodian, XX. 171. To stop the flame both Rich and poor Turmoile, Some carry hooks, some water Conduits turne.
1684. N. S., Crit. Enq. Edit. Bible, iv. 22. A person that had very much and long turmoil’d in these studies.
c. 1755. Murphy, Apprentice, I. i. I have been turmoiling for the fellow all the days of my life.
1759. Sarah Fielding, C’tess of Dellwyn, I. 53. That [mind] which is burthened with many Griefs, and at the same time is turmoiling and bustling.
1840. Pusey, trans. Confess. August., III. vi. 11. Toiling and turmoiling through want of Truth.
1901. F. E. Taylor, Folk-Sp. S. Lanc., s.v., He has for t’ turmoil hard for his bread.
Hence Turmoiled, Turmoiling ppl. adjs.
1550. Bale, Apol., 33. A doctryne … for turmoylynge Thomistes.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 221. The tossing, turmoyling, tempestuous sea.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1596), 429. In the time of the turmoiled King Ethelred, the whole fleete of the Danish army lay at roade … before Greenewiche.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 141. A turmoiled impoverished, and over burdened Debtor.
1676. E. Bury, Medit., 322. Turmoiling thoughts, how he shall pay his rent, discharge his debts.
1735. Sewel, Dutch Dict., Raasbol, a Turmoiling fellow.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., v. Quentin … endeavoured to compose his turmoiled and scattered thoughts.
1866. J. B. Rose, trans. Ovid’s Met., 332. The turmoiled waters gurgitate the crew.
