Meaning of petling | Babel Free

Definitions

term of affection or endearment; darling.

Examples

“If thou return not, Gammer o'er her pail Will sing in sorrow, 'neath the brinded cow, And Gaffer sigh over his nut-brown ale; […] While evermore the petlings, with sad brow, Will look for thee upon the holly bough […]”

“The cause of his summary dethronement was, that Ma Betty, meaning it in affection, had called him her “heavenly petling." Jofiie objected, on the ground that, whatever she meant, “ heavenly petling” was in Monkeyish a term of insult.”

CEFR level