sprattle

American  

[sprat-l] / ˈspræt l /

noun

Scot.

1. a struggle; fight.

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Etymology

Origin of sprattle

1815–25; metathetic variant of spartle to scatter, itself alteration of sparple ( Middle English < Old French esparpeiller < ?)

Example Sentences

Swith, in some beggar’s haffet squattle; There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle Wi’ ither kindred, jumping cattle, In shoals and nations; Whare horn nor bane ne’er daur unsettle Your thick plantations.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

Or thro' the drift, deep-lairing, sprattle, Beneath a scaur.

From Robert Burns by Shairp, John Campbell

Ye see, we will suppose that any friend like yourself were in the deepest hole of the Nith, sand making a sprattle for your life.

From Redgauntlet by Scott, Walter, Sir

Cp. sprattle in Burns. > æ before r in ware. > a before r in karling.

From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias

List'ning the doors an' winnocks rattle; I think me on the ourie cattle, Or silly sheep, wha bide this brattle O' winter war, And thro' the drift, deep-lairing sprattle, Beneath a scaur!

From Recreations of Christopher North, Volume I (of 2) by Wilson, John Lyde