1667 J. Stewart Naphtali 15 The propelling by force of such injuries, was the justest cause and quarrell, that Men in their Primaeve Liberty could be engaged in.

1680 ‘Philalethes’ tr. G. Buchanan De Jure Regni apud Scotos 14 There may be a mutual cooperating for the good of the Whole, & a mutual propelling of injuries.

1733 J. Alleyne New Eng. Dispensatory iii. xxi. 641/2 The propelling of the blood into the left ventricle of the heart.

1851 J. W. Barber Hist. Coll. State of N.Y. 209 He [sc. Robert Fulton] soon turned his attention to mechanics, particularly to..the use of steam for the propelling of boats.

1866 Rural Amer. (Utica, N.Y.) 15 Mar. 90/1 Which is the greater benefit to mankind, the propelling of machinery by steam, or the cooking of a good dinner by the same agency?

1928 Amer. Anthropologist 30 199 The women do not go to sea alone, but they assist their husbands in the propelling of their craft.

1956 A. S. Carlson Econ. Geogr. Industr. Materials iii. xii. 251 Sulfuric acid..serves in the drying and propelling of chlorine gas in the factory.

1999 P. Levinson Digital Mcluhan iii. 38 The propelling of writing and other media into new prominence as content on the Internet has another profound and democratizing consequence.

1710 T. Fuller Pharmacopœia Extemporanea 330 They..assist the Tunbridge Water Drinkers, whensoever the Waters (either by reason of pituitose Obstructions, or the sluggishness of the propelling Fibres) remain in the Habit of the Body, and pass not off.

1736 Philos. Trans. 1735–6 (Royal Soc.) 39 55 The propelling force of these injections overcomes those resistances.

1756 T. Amory Life John Buncle I. 184 This squeezing or propelling force gives the fluid an impetus.

1808 R. Trevithick & J. Dickinson Specif. Patent 3148 A rowing wheel..furnished with floats or pallets, but which we call our propelling boards.

1860 Amer. Agriculturist Dec. 361/2 Its flight, too, is changed. In Summer it is performed in deep curved lines, alternately rising and falling after each propelling motion of the wings.

1877 C. W. Thomson Voy. ‘Challenger’ I. i. 58 The propelling engines are..high-pressure direct-acting vertical engines of six horse-power.

1901 ‘G. Douglas’ House with Green Shutters xv. 161 Rivalry, born of hate, was the propelling influence in Gourlay's mind.

1951 W. Ley Rockets, Missiles & Space Trav. vii. 172 The propelling charge in that rocket was a double-base powder containing..nitrocellulose..nitroglycerin..and diphenylamine added as a stabilizer.

1992 M. Schaffer-Fehre tr. S. Schaal & W. Ziegler Messel ix. 111 Like today's Nile crocodiles, Asiatosuchus had a very strong tail which served as a propelling organ.

1852 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 15 Index p. v Stephens's propelling pencils.

1895 Montgomery Ward Catal. Spring & Summer 185/1 Men's Propelling and Repelling Pencil..takes full size and length of lead.

1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise x. 169 If Bredon really wanted a propelling pencil he ought to get an Eversharp.

1954 Statesville (N. Carolina) Daily Record 17 Feb. 1/5 Each Rotary Ann received a propeling pencil.

2004 Tool & Machinery Catal. 2005 (Axminster Power Tool Centre Ltd.) vii. 5/2 A pair of the familiar click-point propelling pencils.