verb (old).—To be unable to pronounce the letter R. Also as subs.
1662. FULLER, Worthies, II. 225. All that are born therein have a harsh and rattling kind of uttering their words with much difficulty and WHARLING in their throats.
1724–7. DEFOE, A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain, iii. 233. I must not quit Northumberland without taking notice, that the Natives of this Country, of the ancient original Race or Families, are distinguished by a Shibboleth upon their Tongues in pronouncing the Letter R, which they cannot utter without a hollow Jarring in the Throat, by which they are as plainly known, as a Foreigner is by pronouncing the Th: this they call the Northumberland R or WHARLE; and the Natives value themselves on that Imperfection, because, forsooth, it shews the Antiquity of their Blood.
