Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Fettle

//ˈfɛtl̩// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A state of physical condition; kilter or trim.

    "These strong 2-8-2s […] appeared in good fettle, especially those shedded at Lublin and several arrivals and departures were photographed in the fine evening light."

  2. 2
    a state of fitness and good health wordnet
  3. 3
    One's mental state; spirits.
  4. 4
    Sand used to line a furnace.
  5. 5
    A seam line left by the meeting of mould pieces.
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    The act of fettling. UK, dialectal
  2. 7
    A person's mood or state, often assuming the worst. Cumbria, Geordie

    "What’s yer fettle marra?"

Verb
  1. 1
    To sort out, to fix, to mend, to repair. Northern-England, especially

    "He is getting his saddle altered: fettling about this and that; does not consider what danger he is in."

  2. 2
    remove mold marks or sand from (a casting) wordnet
  3. 3
    To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business. intransitive

    "Nor list he now go whistling to the car, But sells his team , and fettleth to the war"

  4. 4
    To line the hearth of a furnace with sand prior to pouring molten metal. transitive
  5. 5
    To be upset or in a bad mood. Geordie, reflexive

    "Divint fettle yersel ower that!"

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    To remove (as by sanding) the seam lines left by the meeting of two molds.
  2. 7
    To machine away seam lines or more generally to make small adjustments to a component or machine to improve its fit or operation. transitive

    "He wants to fettle his gearchange mechanism before the next competition."

  3. 8
    To prepare. archaic, transitive

    "But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next..."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) [and other forms], which possibly: * from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz, further etymology unknown; or * from Old English fetian (“to fetch”), from Proto-Germanic *fatōną, *fatjaną (“to fetch”), from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“foot”). Compare Old English ġefetelsod (“provided with a belt; trimmed, polished, ornamented”).

Etymology 2

From Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) [and other forms], which possibly: * from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz, further etymology unknown; or * from Old English fetian (“to fetch”), from Proto-Germanic *fatōną, *fatjaną (“to fetch”), from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“foot”). Compare Old English ġefetelsod (“provided with a belt; trimmed, polished, ornamented”).

See also for "fettle"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: fettle