carline

American  

[kahr-lin, ker-] / ˈkɑr lɪn, ˈkɛr- /

Or carlin

noun

Chiefly Scot.

1. an old woman.

2. a hag; witch.

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carline ¹ British  

/ ˈkɑːlɪn /

noun

1. an old woman, hag, or witch

2. a variant of carling

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carline ² British  

/ ˈkɑːlɪn /

noun

1. Also called: carline thistle.  a Eurasian thistle-like plant, Carlina vulgaris, having spiny leaves and flower heads surrounded by raylike whitish bracts: family Asteraceae (composites)

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Etymology

Origin of carline

1350–1400; Middle English (north) kerling < Old Norse: old woman, equivalent to kerl (mutated variant of karl man) + -ing -ing ¹

Example Sentences

January 27, 2010 2:20 pm Link Mrs. Accillien, where can I drop off my donated goods? — carline 22.

From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2010

Mr. Swett thought that a company of actors would encourage a larger volume of traffic for the carline, and he was right.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Whatever we do, that girl of yours will be an auld carline before you reach Earth."

From The Burning Bridge by Dongen, H. R. van

Good-e'en, ye nettles tall, Where ye grow at the dyke; If the auld carline my mother was here Sae weel 's she wad ye pike.

From The Balladists Famous Scots Series by Geddie, John

Said the carline: "It is her troth-plight man; and verily I, as well as she, deem that he is worthy of it; or was, when she saw him."

From The Sundering Flood by Morris, May