bretheling
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English bretheling.
Noun edit
bretheling (plural brethelings)
- (archaic) Wretch; worthless person.
- 1838, William Barclay Turnbull, Sir Beves of Hamtoun: A Metrical Romance, page 81:
- The palmer rod forth ase a king, And Beues wente alse a bretheling.
- 1941, Best One-Act Plays, page 190:
- Ensured — what — what — do you play the bretheling in our house?
- 1975, Georgette Heyer, My Lord John, page 380:
- Marck was relieved last month, lordling, and that bretheling Count of St Pol given such a buffet as he will not speedily forget.
Anagrams edit
Middle English edit
Etymology edit
From brethel (“wretch”, from Old English *brēoþel (“degenerative, corruptive”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *breuþaną (“to fall apart, crumble”)) + -ing. See brothel for more.
Noun edit
bretheling (plural brethelings)
- bretheling (wretch; worthless person)
Descendants edit
- English: bretheling
References edit
- “brẹ̄theling, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.