thirl

Meanings

1. A hole, an aperture, especially a nostril.
2. A low door in a dry-stone wall to allow sheep to pass through; a smoot.
3. A short communication between adits in a mine.
4. A long adit in a coalpit.

1. To pierce; to perforate, penetrate, cut through.
2. To drill or bore; to cut through, as a partition between one working and another.

1. To throw (a projectile).

1. To legally bind (a tenant) to the use of one's own property as an owner.
2. To bind; to obligate to use or be associated with.

1. A thrall.

Etymology

From Middle English thirl, thiril, from Old English þyrel (“hole”), from Proto-West Germanic *þurhil, from Proto-Germanic *þurhilą (“hole, opening”), from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥h₂kʷelo- which is *tr̥h₂kʷe + *-lo, from *terh₂-. Related to thrill, drill. By surface analysis, through + -le.