31 August 2017
birling
[bur-ling]
noun, Chiefly Northern U.S.
1. a game played by lumberjacks, in which each tries to balance longest on a floating log while rotating the log with the feet.
Origin of birling
birl + -ing1
birl
[burl]
Spell Syllables
verb (used with object)
1. Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause (a floating log) to rotate rapidly by treading upon it.
2. British. to spin or cause to rotate.
verb (used without object)
3. Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading on it.
4. British.
to move or rotate rapidly.
Informal. to spend money freely.
Informal. to gamble.
noun
5. British Informal. an attempt; a gamble.
Origin
1715-25; perhaps blend of birr1and whirl, influenced, in some senses, by birle
Related forms
birler, noun
birle
[burl; Scot. birl] Chiefly Scot.
verb (used with object), birled, birling.
1. to pour (a drink) or pour a drink for.
verb (used without object), birled, birling.
2. to drink deeply; carouse.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English birlen, Old English byrelian, derivative of byrele butler; akin to bear1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for birling
Historical Examples
By the way, did you fellows ever square up on that birling match?
Blazed Trail Stories
Stewart Edward White
Why was the sympathy of the crowd with Jimmy Powers in the birling match?
Americans All
Various
birling the brown bowl wi’ the fowler and the falconer, and some o’ the serving folk.
Old Mortality, Complete, Illustrated
Sir Walter Scott
Anagram
girl bin
rib ling
Today’s quote
One of the secrets of life is to keep our intellectual curiosity acute.
– William Lyon Phelps
On this day
31 August 12AD – birth of Caligula, also known as Gaius Caesar, 3rd Roman Emperor from 37 – 41AD. Died 24 January 41AD. First Roman Emperor to be assassinated following a conspiracy to restore the Roman Republic. While the plot to kill Caligula succeeds, the restoration of the Republic fails when the Praetorian Guard appoint Caligula’s uncle, Claudius, as Emperor.
31 August 1897 – Thomas Edison granted a patent for the world’s first movie camera, the Kinetograph. The patented incorporated a number of inventions related to the capture of moving pictures, including the kinetoscope.
31 August 1928 – birth of James Coburn, actor (‘The Great Escape‘, ‘The Magnificent Seven‘). Died 18 November 2002.
31 August 1997 – death of Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, in a car crash in Paris. Born 1 July 1961.