a. [ Cf. Sw. vimmelkantig giddy, whimsical, dial. Sw. vimmla to be giddy or skittish, and E. whim. ] Active; nimble.[ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
n. [ OE. wimbil; akin to Dan. vimmel, OD. wemelen to bore. Cf. Gimlet. ] An instrument for boring holes, turned by a handle. Specifically:
n. (Zool.) The whimbrel. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
This wimpled, whining, purblind, wayward boy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ OE. wimpel, AS. winpel; akin to D. & G. wimpel a pennant, streamer, OHG. wimpal a veil, Icel. vimpill, Dan. & Sw. vimpel a pennant, streamer; of uncertain origin. Cf. Gimp. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
Full seemly her wympel ipinched is. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
For she had laid her mournful stole aside,
And widowlike sad wimple thrown away. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
Then Vivian rose,
And from her brown-locked head the wimple throws. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. i. To lie in folds; also, to appear as if laid in folds or plaits; to ripple; to undulate. “Wimpling waves.” Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]
For with a veil, that wimpled everywhere,
Her head and face was hid. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
With me through . . . meadows stray,
Where wimpling waters make their way. Ramsay. [ 1913 Webster ]