WORD OF THE DAY: SPROTTLE

SPROTTLE
 
NOUN
the action of a person seeking to regain his balance when falling;
​a helpless struggle ...Bk1904 Eng. dial.

VERB
1. to struggle helplessly or ineffectually; to sprawl; to kick about helplessly;
to struggle to rise after a fall, etc. ...1829 Eng. dial.
2. to hoe roughly; to loosen weeds with a hoe ...Bk1904 Eng. dial.

ETYMOLOGY
possibly a variant of either spartle (vb. to move the body or limbs in a sprawling or struggling manner), or sprattle (vb. to scramble, to struggle)

FIRST DOCUMENTED USE
1829 - Sprottle, to struggle with inefficacious vehemence.
From: The Hallamshire Glossary
- Joseph Hunter

EXAMPLE
"...The prisoner was drawing a knife across her throat, and said, "My Wilfred and me is going home together." The child was sprottling, and she ran out and called for assistance..."
From: The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
18 Nov 1876, Sat - Page 3
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