kittle
Americanverb (used with object)
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to tickle with the fingers; agitate or stir, as with a spoon.
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to excite or rouse (a person), especially by flattery or strong words.
adjective
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ticklish; fidgety.
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requiring skill or caution; precarious.
adjective
verb
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to be troublesome or puzzling to (someone)
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to tickle
Etymology
Origin of kittle
First recorded in 1475–85; earlier kytylle, ketil (compare Middle English verbal noun kitilling, kitlinge “tickling” late Old English citelung, kitelung ); cognate with Middle High German kützeln; akin to Old Norse kitla, German kitzeln “to tickle”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Somethin caught his interest an he turned round and afore you could say jackrobinson he backed up and sot right down in the kittle.
From Time Magazine Archive
I still got our old copper kittle an she's 30 gallons if she's a spoon-full.
From Time Magazine Archive
The craig's a mair kittle part than the arm or the hand, and aften does penance for the acts o' its restless freend.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 12 by Various
So you see here was a pretty kittle of fish.
From Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville Militia by Seba Smith
The Skipper gazed as wise and solemn As if he felt his hand on helm His cutter o'er the green waves guiding, Close hauled, through kittle channel gliding.
From A Golfing Idyll or The Skipper's Round with the Deil On the Links of St. Andrews by Violet Flint
Pronounced to rhyme with "shall" only the vowel must be very much prolonged. kittled = tickled. myek = make. gairdle cake = girdle cake, i.e. a cake baked on a griddle.
From The Shanty Book, Part I, Sailor Shanties by Richard Runciman Terry
Bell: What have you heard this fifteen-year, except The bleat of sheep, till Ruth’s voice kittled your ear?
From Krindlesyke by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
