A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1584-1699
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]
Trim(b)ling, ppl. adj. Also: trym(b)ling, trembling. [Late ME and e.m.E. trimballand (a1400-50), tremblynge (1526), trembling (a1628).]
1. Of a living being: That trembles (Trimbil(l v. 1). 1688 Tryal Philip Standsfield 29.
He fled in to Culter, as a trembling partridge pursued by a haulk
2. Of a thing: That moves in a tremulous manner; that quivers or vibrates (Trimbil(l v. 2). a1585 Maitland Quarto MS 202/45.
As the drope of water weris the stone, So dentit wer hir cheikis cruellie By trimbling teiris 1587-99 Hume 16/142.
On my iolie lute … And trimling trible string, I sall … Thy glorie gladlie sing a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xi 21.
To the gods of love … My visage did I turne, With trimbling teirs 1614 T. Melvill in Melvill lxvi.
The tall trymling treis … seames throw watrie woltis of air to cut the chrystell skyes c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas i 270.
A contrare blast Doth force his saile against the trembling mast
3. The trimbling fever(is (once, aixes (Axes n.)), the ague.(1) 1588 Criminal Trials I ii 164.
The Bischop of Sanct Androus had mony seiknessis, as the trimbling fewer, the palp [etc.] … and baid hir mak ane saw 1623 Elgin Rec. II 182.
The quaquand fewer and the trimbling fewer and the sea fewer [etc.] 1629 Justiciary Cases I 138.
The trymbling feveris 1662 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXII 223.
James Kid … being diseased with the trembling feavers 16.. Adv. MS 22. 2. 11 last p.
A receat for the trembling fivers(2) 1653 Nicoll Diary 108.
The trimbling aixes … wes … frequent
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Trimling ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/trimbling_ppl_adj>
