verb. (common).—To annoy; to provoke; TO RILE (q.v.); TO NEEDLE (q.v.). TO HAVE PISSED ON A NETTLE = to be peevish or out of temper; NETTLED = (1) annoyed, and (2) afflicted (American, MATSELL, 1859); NETTLER = a SPOIL-TEMPER (q.v.).—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).
c. 1592. GREENE, George a Greene, 397 [GROSART, Works (1886), xiv., 139]. There are few fellowes in our parish so NETLED with loue as I haue bene of late.
1625. MASSINGER, The Parliament of Love, iii., 1. Nov. We have NETTLED him. Peri. Had we stung him to death, it were but justice.
1641. MILTON, Animadversions upon the Remonstrant’s Defence, etc. But these are the NETTLERS, these are the blabbing books that tell.
1767. F. FAWKES, Theocritus, Idyllium v.
| Morson, I’ve NETTLED somebody full sore— | |
| Go, gather sowbread, and be mad no more. |
1847. TENNYSON, The Princess, i., 161.
| I, tho’ NETTLED that he seem’d to slur … | |
| Our formal compact. |
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iii., 221. Of course he was NETTLED.
1895. H. B. MARRIOTT-WATSON, The King’s Treasure, in The New Review, July, 2. ‘As for that,’ I said, for I was NETTLED at his sneering.
NETTLE IN, DOCK OUT, phr. (old).—Fickleness of purpose; thing after thing; place after place.
1369. CHAUCER, Troilus and Criseyde, iv. NETLE IN, DOKKE OUT, now this, now that, Pandare?
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. NETTLED. IN DOCK, OUT NETTLE, upon the change of Places, when one is no sooner out, but another is in his Place.
Also see ROSE.
