ettle
1 of 3verb
et·tle
ˈetᵊl
transitive verb
1
chiefly Scottish : intend, plan, design
2
chiefly Scottish : attempt, venture
3
chiefly Scottish : guess, suppose
intransitive verb
chiefly Scottish : aim, aspire, plan
ettle
2 of 3noun (1)
"
plural -s
Scottish
: intent, purpose
ettle
3 of 3noun (2)
"
plural -s
dialectal, England
: nettle
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English ettlen, atlen, from Old Norse ætla; akin to Old English eahtian to consider, estimate, watch over, eaht consideration, estimation, Old High German ahtōn to consider, believe, estimate, ahta consideration, attention, esteem, Gothic ahjan to believe, think, aha understanding, mind, Greek oknos hesitation, fear, and perhaps to Old English ēage eye
Noun (2)
by alteration (resulting from incorrect division of a nettle)
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1790, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1688, in the meaning defined above