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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trimbil(l, Trim(m)ill, Trembil(l, v. Also: trimble, trymbill, -yll, trymble, trimyll, trym(m)ill, trymmyl(l, tremble, tremyl, -al, -el, trumbill. P.t. also trimllit, trymbillitt, trimblet, trumlit. [ME and e.m.E. tremle (Manning), tremble (Chaucer), tremel (c1400), F. trembler, med. L. tremulare.] intr.

1. Of persons: To tremble, to shake involuntarily (through (for) fear, cold, etc.).pres. 1375 Barb. ii 295.
Sum man for erynes will trymbill, Quhen he assayit is sodanly ?1438 Alex. ii 8457.
Trimble c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts vii 32.
Moises was trimbiland [W. maad tremeling, P. was maad tremblynge], and durst nocht behald(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxix 26.
Quhen he mycht syne nomare, As quhen for elde he has quhyt hare, … & his handis als tremland 1456 Hay II 132/14.
Ane ald wyf, bludelas but naturale heat in hir, is calde and dry, nakit and trembland 1567 G. Ball. 207.
Than say weill, for feir, sall trembill [v.r. trimbill] and quaik(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 11/5.
The signe triumphall rasit is of the croce, The divillis trymmillis with hiddous voce(d) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 877.
Tremaland … The crage clymand vpe he hyre socht a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 257.
Tremeland(e) 1513 Doug. iii ix 109 (Sm.).
The gryme Ciclopes, and oft thair grisely cry … maid me trumbill [Ruddim. trymbyll]p.t. 1460 Hay Alex. 1139.
Quhan he saw the kingis sone … His memberis trimllit and his harte vprais a1500 Henr. Fab. 2098.
The cadgear trimmillit [Ch. trimillit] for teyne 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2085.
Bot sa my harnis trimblit besily, Quhill I fell ouir c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xvi 29.
He … trembilit [W. tremblinge, P. tremblide], and feldoun to Paul and to Sylas at thar feet 1558-66 Knox II 430.
When he [sc. Simon Magus] heard the feirfull threitnyngis of God … aganis him, he trymbillitt

b. To quiver or shake from the impact of a physical assault. 1375 Barb. xii 268.
That with all ȝour mycht … ȝe pres ȝow … To mete thaim at [sall] fyrst assemble Sa stoutly that the henmaist trymble [C. trymmyll]

2. Of things: To move under the influence of natural forces; to shake, quake, quiver. a1400 Leg. S. vii 299.
A ferly sterynge sone feld thai, Rycht as the ȝerde suld tremyl al, & mak all werkis reddy to fall c1400 Troy-bk. i 551.
The erd trembled full horribily a1500 Bk. Chess 1918.
A nakit swerd abone his hed thair hang Bot with a threid … It trymblit so that it was lyk to fall c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 9/83.
The erde did trimmill [A. trymble], the stanis claif 1513 Doug. iii ii 46.
Scars war thir wordis said, quhen that I se Al thingis trymmyl [Sm. trymble, Ruddim. trymblyng] and schaik 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 243.
Tender twystis trymlyt [Ruddim. trymblit] on the treis 1535 Stewart 31120.
Quhill rochis rang and trumlit all the eird 1596 Dalr. II 129/19.
Terrable erdquakes throuch Ingland and Scotland war hard, kirkes quaket and trimblet vehementlie 1600-1610 Melvill 420.
Ther was an erthquak quhilk maid all the north parts of Scotland to trimble 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 29/216.
Who … Maks mountaines tremble, and howest hells to feare?

3. fig. Of persons or their attributes, or things: To experience apprehension or dread, such as to cause trembling. Also const. at, for or to do (something).(a) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1191.
I trymmyll for to tell That infortune, quhow it befell c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6018.
I trimyll tyll heir tell The terribyll turmentyng of hell Arundel MS 269/138.
For gret terrour of Cristis dede The erd did trymill quhair I lay 1562-3 Winȝet I 40/5.
We exhorte ȝow … to feir and trimble at the feirfull exemplis of deid 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 274.
Tratours may trimbill to behald thy face c1610 Melville Mem. 324.
He maid the haill subiectis to trimble vnder him 1661 R. Baillie in Lauderdale P. I 96.
My hert whiles trimbles for you(b) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 127.
The devillis trowis that thair is ane God, and for feir of his terribil jugement thai tremyl(c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 11.
The duik of Alvais example; that is, to cut fra the shulders up for the first fault; and that will gar thair hartis trumbill