Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Intention; intent; aim.
  • noun A variant of addle.
  • noun A nettle.
  • To aim; propose; intend; attempt; try.
  • To expect; reckon: as, I'm ettling he'll be here the morn.
  • To take aim.
  • To make attempt.
  • To direct one's course.
  • To aspire; be ambitious.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To earn. [Obs.] See addle, to earn.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb obsolete To earn.
  • verb transitive, dialectal To aim; purpose; intend; attempt; try.
  • verb transitive, dialectal To expect; reckon; count on.
  • verb intransitive, dialectal To take aim.
  • verb intransitive, dialectal To make attempt.
  • verb intransitive, dialectal To direct one's course.
  • verb intransitive, dialectal To aspire; be ambitious.
  • noun dialectal Intention; intent; aim.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

A variation of addle ("to earn").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English etlien, atlien, from Old Norse ǣtla ("to think, mean, suppose, intend, purpose"), from Proto-Germanic *ahtalōnan (“to strive, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *ok- (“to think, intend, purpose”); partly from Middle English aghtelen, ahtlien ("to think, esteem, purpose, set out, arrange"), from a frequentative variant of Old English eahtian ("to estimate, esteem, fix the character or quality of something, consult about, consider, deliberate, mediate, devise, watch over, speak of with praise"), from West Germanic *ahtōna (“to think, believe, fear”), from Proto-Germanic *ahwjanan (“to believe, intend, think, fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *okʷ-, *h₃ekʷ- (“to see”). Cognate with Dutch achten ("to deem, regard, esteem, think"), German achten ("to heed, respect, value"), Danish agte ("to esteem, intend, observe, heed"), Gothic 𐌰𐌷𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ahjan, "to think"). More at eye.

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Examples

  • They that ettle to the top of the ladder will at least get up some rounds.

    The Monastery 2008

  • They that ettle to the top of the ladder will at least get up some rounds.

    The Monastery Walter Scott 1801

  • Dinna ettle at a penny more; he micht gang back upo' 't.

    Warlock o' Glenwarlock George MacDonald 1864

  • Shame fa' him, say I,'at made his siller as a flesher i' the wast wyn' o' Howglen, to ettle at a gentleman o' a thoosan' year for ane o' his queans!

    Warlock o' Glenwarlock George MacDonald 1864

Comments

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  • Scots - to attempt to do something.

    December 26, 2007

  • From Old Norse ǣtla (to think, mean, suppose, intend, purpose) and from Old English eahtan (pursue, estimate, appreciate) and eahtian (æ, e) (to estimate, esteem, consult about, consider, deliberate: watch over, speak of with praise). Ger. achten

    eahtung f. estimation, valuation, deliberation, counsel.

    November 3, 2011