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↑briggle v
[Cf Scots, nEngl, nIr dial broggle to bungle, to patch [etc] and Scots breeghle “To make little progress, with much waddling and bustle, in going through any work” (DSL)]
1 often with around, less freq about, along: To bustle about, usu ineffectually; to potter about; to tinker (with something); hence vbl n briggling pottering, wasting time; ppl adj briggling ineffectual. chiefly North Midland
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contains DARE survey quotes
- 1889 Jrl. Amer. Folkl. 2.155 OH, Briggle.—To be in an uneasy mental condition, to shift the attention rapidly from one thing to another. “Don’t briggle so.”
- 1899 Myers Thad Perkins 74 IN, I ’lowed y’u were jes brigglin’ ’n’ cruderin’ roun’ ’n’ y’u mought holp me find my hogs.
- 1899 TX Med. Jrl. 15.13, While the only rational treatment is not popular to our patients, let us not risk their future well-being by a weak policy of postponment [sic] or briggling therapeutics.
- 1901 Kokomo Daily Tribune (IN) 11 Oct 8/1, It was an Anderson firm that built the new High school building here a few years ago and briggled along several months beyond the time limit.
- 1905 in 2017 DARE File—Internet swWI, Snowing all day. I’ve briggled and puttered at the work all day and done but little.
- 1908 Charlotte Daily Observer (NC) 26 May 3/3, It would have been . . a good game but for the detestable tardiness of Walsh, catcher, who “briggled” around as if he had a week to do his work.
- 1912 DN 3.572 wIN, Briggle. . . To busy oneself without purpose; to potter. “He never stops brigglin’ around.”
- 1922 Creston Daily Advt. (IA) 20 Apr 8/5, [Advt:] A special sale of Rugs Saturday. . . Don’t come briggling around here unless you are looking for Bargains.
- 1930s in 1944 ADD eWV, ‘Stop brigglin’ with that.’ Common.
- 1938 Daily Telegram (Mechanicsburg OH) 24 Mar 1/3, One woman told us she had no room in her home but briggled about trying to find one near by.
- 1942 Elgin Echo (IA) [16 Apr 4]/1 (newspaperarchive.com), He is 18 years old and his favorite pasttime [sic] is, quote: “just brigglin around”.
- 1944 Adams Co. Free Press (Corning IA) 6 Jan sec A 1/6, We could take a few lessons from the Germans who tollerate [sic] no such briggling and stalling.
- 1953 Newark Advocate & Amer. Tribune (OH) 16 May 4/2, Certain people do a lot of briggling around. They waste 80 per cent of their effort.
- 1967 DARE Qu. A10, . . Somebody asks, “What are you doing?” and you answer, “Nothing in particular, I’m just _____.” Inf IA8, Briggling around. [Inf old]
- 2010 in 2017 DARE File—Internet sePA, He loved . . “briggling around” on projects in his basement workshop.
- 2014 Ibid cwMO, I am currently briggling with pics, hopefully have some up next day or two.
- 2015 Ibid IA, And the collection of songs from the 1930’s is soooo much fun to listen to when I’m cleaning and just briggling around my apartment.
2 To mishandle, bungle; hence n briggler bungler.
- 1908 Batten’s Wedge 10.1.10, There are still a plenty of brigglers at advertising, as at all other trades, who blunder away with the methods of long ago.
- 1913 Attica Ledger–Press (IN) [28 Mar 11]/2 (newspaperarchive.com), That the recent Indiana legislature briggled the job sadly when it adopted the carnation as the official state flower is apparent to any one that gives the matter half a minute of serious thought.