1676 Confess. Remonstrants 27 The importuneness of others, who have an itch after or unto variances, rablings, and contradictions, and are pleased with the opportunity of strife & contention upon every occasion.

1690 Acc. Pres. Persec. Ch. Scot. 26 Rabbling has been all along in fashion, and continues to this moment.

1693 Apol. Clergy Scotl. 2 To ward off the blame of the barbarous Rabblings of the Clergy.

a1713 A. Pitcairne Assembly (1722) 12 I think you are the Messenger of Satan sent to buffet me; well, I'll mind you the next Rabbling.

a1734 R. North Examen (1740) vii. 579 Rabbling was of mighty Consequence for the Opportunities..of keeping the People warm against the Time of Action.

1817 W. Scott Rob Roy II. xiv. 311 Nane were keener against it [sc. the Union] than the Glasgow folk, wi' their rabblings and their risings, and their mobs, as they ca' them now-a-days.

1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People viii. 527 The rabbling of the bishops proved that there was ‘no free Parliament’.

1902 W. C. Smith Poet. Wks. 608 I never have understood That any one died outright Of our rabbling.

1974 Past & Present No. 63. 74 The parish's complaint had got to the presbytery when the ‘rabbling’ of ministers after the Revolution took place.

1999 Jrnl. Brit. Stud. 38 35 All types of Presbyterians appear to have been involved in the rabblings.

1852 C. Tomlinson Cycl. Useful Arts & Manuf. 430/2 This operation is performed with a long iron rake called a rabble, and the operation itself is termed rabbling.

1864 Q. Jrnl. Sci. 1 493 After ‘rabbling’ the puddled ball is ready for shingling.

1877 R. W. Raymond Statistics Mines & Mining 397 The long reverbatory with rabbling-doors on the side.

1882 Engineer 24 Feb. 133/2 The puddling furnaces..on the top of each is fitted a rabbling machine.

1938 R. Hum Chem. for Engin. Students xxi. 553 A reverberatory furnace, with a long sloping hearth, having special rabbling devices, is often used.

1940 M. Levin Citizens 288 Six men together struggling to direct the heavy raveling-iron that melted and bent after a moment in the furnace.

1994 R. Noyes Unit Operations in Environmental Engin. viii. 457 Sludge or other wastes deposited on the hearth of a multiple hearth furnace should have a solids content of 15 to 40% for proper movement and rabbling through the furnace.

1575 R. B. Apius & Virginia sig. Dij^v O faulse Judge Apius wrablinge wretch.

1576 T. Newton tr. L. Lemnie Touchstone of Complexions ii. ii. f. 101 A rabling route of ydle loutes.

1652 J. Wadsworth tr. P. de Sandoval Civil Wars Spain 301 The report..made a number of rabbling people join.

1711 R. Calder Answer to Pamplet called Dial. betwixt Curat & Country-man 10 The Church of England..took the Liberty of a National Church, to reform by its own Governours, by a regular Reformation; not by a popular rebellious and rabbling Deformation.

1773 J. Bowden Explosion 17 Up fly the fire-sticks, thrown by rabbling boys.

1887 T. Darlington Folk-speech S. Cheshire Rabblin', rowdy, noisy.

1912 G. O. Trevelyan George III & Charles Fox II. xi. 32 The smaller tenants of Ulster..had waged a vigorous tithe-war against..rabbling rectors and vicars.

1988 W. Horwood Duncton Quest ii. xii. 160 Even in the face of these rabbling calls for their death he was certain now they would not die.