catling, n.
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Pronunciation: /ˈkætlɪŋ/
Forms: Also 15 kettlin, 16 catlin.(Show Less)
Etymology: < cat n.1 + -ling suffix1, diminutive suffix. The connection of sense 3 does not appear: perhaps it is a distinct word.
1. A little cat; a kitten.
a1649 W. Drummond Wks. (1711) 50/2 Never Cat nor Catling I shall find.
1791 G. Huddesford Salmagundi 134 Cats and Catlings of ignoble line.
1866 S. G. Osborne Lett. on Educ. 23 The fate of the brother and sister catlings.
a1649—1866(Hide quotations)
2.
a. Catgut for a violin, lute, or the like; ‘the smallest-sized lute-strings’ (Stainer & Barrett).
1578 in J. Raine Wills & Inventories Archdeaconry Richmond (1853) 280 Thread lace, garters, A gros of kettlins, iijs. iij dos of mynykens iijs. vjd.
[1599 Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iv. iv. 162 (To Musician) What say you Simon Catling?]
1609 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. iii. 294 Vnlesse the fidler Apollo get his sinnews to make Catlings on.
1708 J. Kersey Dict. Anglo-Britannicum Catlings or Catlins, a sort of small Cat-gut Strings for Musical Instruments.
1721 C. King Brit. Merchant I. 284 Lutestrings, Catlings, Minikings.
1812 J. Smyth Pract. of Customs ii. 53 Catlings are small strings for fiddles and other musical instruments.
1833 Act 3 & 4 Will. IV lvi, Catlings, the Gross, containing 12 Dozen Knots.
1578—1833(Hide quotations)
b. transf. (pl.) Stringed instruments.
1652 E. Benlowes Theophila iii. li. 43 Still, Tort'ring the deep-mouth'd Catlins, till Hoarse-thundring Diapasons should the whole Room fill.
1652—1652(Hide quotations)
3. Surg. ‘A long, narrow, double-edged, sharp-pointed, straight knife for performing amputations’ ( New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon).
1617 J. Woodall Surgions Mate 2 Of the dismembring knife, and of the Catlinge..Whatsoeuer the Catling or dismembring knife cannot come at by reason of their greatnes, etc.
1689 J. Moyle Abstr. Sea Chyrurg. ii. i. 25 With your Catling divide the Vessels between the bones.
1824 Ann. Reg. Chron. 16 Jan. 9/1 Sir Astley [Cooper]..with the limb in one hand, and the catling in the other, commenced the operation.
1617—1824(Hide quotations)
†4. = catkin n. (But possibly a misprint.) Obs.
1665–76 J. Rea Flora 221 The flowers [of mulberry] are downy Catlins, which turn into berries.
1704 Harris (J.), Catling, The down or moss growing about walnut-trees, resembling the hair of a cat.
1708 J. Kersey Dict. Anglo-Britannicum (at cited word), Catlings are also the Down or Moss that grows about Walnut-Trees, resembling a Cat's Hair. [Hence in Bailey, Johnson, and mod. Dicts.]
1665–76—1708(Hide quotations)
