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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Thrimbil(l, Thrimble, Trymbil, v. Also: thrimmil, thriml-, thrym(b)l-, thrumble. P.t. and p.p. also thrimmilit, thrumbled. [17th c. Eng. thrumble (1603). Cf. Du. drommel a compact, dense mass, and in een drommel verzamelen to crowd together. Also in the later dialect.]

1. tr. To press, squeeze; to jostle. 1513 Doug. iii ix 67 (Sm.).
Twa bodeis of our sort he [sc. Polyphemus] tuke and raif; Intill his hiddius hand thaim thrimbillit [Ruddim. thrimblit] and wrang 1513 Doug. v xiii 93 (Sm.).
The fers Achil … Chasand affrayit Troianis … The gret rowtis to the wallis thrymbland 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 68.
Peter … sayis: ‘Thou art thrumbled and thrusted be the multitudes, and yit thou speeris quha hes twitched thee!’ 1596 Dalr. I 49/10.
Marr lyes on the costsyde neist, thrimmilit … as it war intil a narrow boundes, in ane parte, bot in ane vthir parte … braider and mair ample

b. To crumple up. 1684 Lauder Observes 304.
All agreed that ane printed copy [sc. of the Test] should be thrumbled of as little boulke as it could and therafter smured over with tallow a1689 Cleland 58.
And how somes conscience bounc'd and kickt When too sore thrumbled, nipt and prickt

2. intr. To push, jostle; to struggle; to tumble.(a) a1500 Peblis to Play 139.
Thair by lay thre and threttie sum Thrimland in ane midding Off draff Of Peblis to the play c1590 J. Stewart 208 § 35.
So thrimbling throch that port I did inclyn Low to salute Humilitie deuyn 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 23.
With kind embracements did we thurst and thrimble 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 113.
Some doubting what to do … Confusedly to fight and flee they thrimble a1658 Durham Christ Crucified 79.
She not only believeth this to be truth, but crouds and thrimbles in to be at him 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 366.
Ye need never expect to win through the storm and to be free of the stroke by going in under these curates, and so think that ye will thrimble through the storm(b) 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 252.
Forcibly, as it were, they thrumbled and thrusted in a1599 Rollock Wks. I 493.
She thrumbleth and thrusteth in at the gates of heaven(c) 1513 Doug. x xii 96.
A hungry lioun … vprasis in hy The lokkerris lyand in his nek rouch, And all the beistis bowillis trymbilis [Ruddim. thrymlis] throuch