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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Thirl(l, Thyrl(l, Thril(l, v.¹ Also: thirle. P.t. and p.p. thirl(l)it, thyrlyt, thirled, thrillit. [ME and e.m.E. thril (Cursor M.), thirl, thrill (Rolle), thyrle (a1350), thirlle (Chaucer), OE þyrlian.]

1. tr. To pierce, run through (a person or thing) (with a weapon); to pierce (anything) with a sharp implement. Also absol.pres. 1375 Barb. ii 543.
Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall With pikkis, quhar the assailȝeis all Entryt … And slewp.t. ?1438 Alex. i 920.
And straik sic straikis till blasonis Thirlit haistaly thare habirgeonis ?1438 Alex. i 1440.
He … peirssit his blassoun, And thirllit … his habirgeoun a1450 Fifteen Ois 305.
Longeus lance that thirlit thi syde a1538 Abell 102a.
Alayn the capitane ȝeid on the nycht with 3 cobillis & thirlit the stoppin of the wattir … the wattir maid the passage mair & brak at the last 1567 G. Ball. 135.
Remember the speir that thirlit my hartp.p. ?1438 Alex. i 290.
My haubrek to-hewin is … And my sheild thirlit with stalwart speiris ?1438 Alex. ii 4327.
Thirled c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 175.
Ane bludie hart Thirlit outthrow richt scharplie … With ane fell flaneabsol. ?1438 Alex. ii 9040.
He rugged to him with sic ane mane And thirled with strenth sa fast That [etc.]

b. fig. To pierce (the heart) as with a weapon.(1) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 972 (Asl.).
Vnthankfullnes of man thrillit his hart a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 930.
Now pane, now wo, all confort fra thaim flemes, Sair garris thame grane, all throu the hert thaim thirlis 1535 Stewart 26197.
And luiffis dart thirlit his hart so soir 15.. Clar. iii 2008.
Him to heir with monie sob and grone, It wald have thirllit ony heart of stone a1568 Scott xix 3.
This [= Thus] to be pynit with panis soir Thirlit throw every vane and boir a1605 Montg. Misc. P. vi 16.
My hopeles hairt … Is … thirlit throu with deidly poysond dairts 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 61.
His gesture thirls the beholders heart with sad compassionellipt. ?1438 Alex. ii 3860.
Quhen swete vmbethinking suddanly Me takes and partes my hart in tua, And thyrlis sumtyme with thochtis thra(2) 1535 Stewart 19991.
Tha thocht thair hartis thirlit into thre, Of hir complaint thai had so greit pitie

2. Of an army, etc.: To penetrate, break through and so break up the opposing army. 1375 Barb. ix 613.
[They] Swa hardely amang thaim raid That fele off thaim till erd thai bar … Quhen thai had thyrlyt [C. thrillit] thaim hastily Than [etc.] 1375 Barb. xvi 434.
Douglas … With … his cumpany … thyrlyt [C. thrillit] thaim weill ner throch-out ?1438 Alex. ii 1582.
The folk of Grece … lakkis vs maa, I trow, na louis … That we na gang furth to thirll [F. desrompre] ȝone thrang c1420 Wynt. viii 2251.
The … Scottis men … Togyddyr stwd sa fermly … that nane thare thyrl [C. thril, W. thrill] thame mycht 1513 Doug. x i 32.
Quhen the fers burgh of Cartage To Romys boundis … Ane huge myscheif and gret qualm send sall, And thyrll the hie montanys lyke a wall

3. transf. or fig. Of prayer, light, water, etc: To pass through, penetrate (some obstacle). a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 131.
Sene thi word thrillit myn ere c1490 Irland Asl. MS 54/3.
Thar prayere thirllis purgatore 14… Edinb. Univ. MS La.ii.318.
The prayer here of a gude man Thrillis hevin & enteris than 1513 Doug. iii viii 117.
Thrys the holkyt craggis hard we ȝell, Quhar as the swelch had the rolkis thyrlyt [Sm. thirlit, Ruddim. thirllit] a1568 Scott xiv 1.
Rycht as the glas bene thirlit thrucht with bemis Off Phebus … visage bricht 1640 Lithgow Poet. Remains 231.
I'le dive no more in sinne and crooked wayes … Ile lay about the ruther of my minde, To keep a safer loofe, and thirle the winde

4. To cut out, excavate (a passage). 1531 Reg. Dunferm. 362.
[The] convent of Dunfermeling and thair successouris grevis sall pas in at ony stair thai sall pleis to thirll ane gall west through to thair awne coill

5. intr. To pierce, penetrate. Also fig. and in fig. context. ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 141.
[They] set apone the croun of thorne … and cessit neuer quhill thai gart thaim pers and thirll throw ȝour harne pane & hernes 1513 Doug. x viii 114.
The bustuus strake throw all hys armour thrang, … Quhil throu the cost thyrlyt [Ruddim. thirllit] the dedly pryk 1604-31 Craig i 31.
None tends poore Philomel, for all her charms and chrils, Yea if she sleip, the poynted thorne out-through her breist-bone thrilsfig. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 297.
That voce the hevin thirlis throu blude & bane c1500 Makc. MS iv 2.
Rewtht and mercy stundis Inmyddis myne hart and thirlis throw the vanis 1513 Doug. xi xvii 26.
The wemen … Rasand … a wofull wyfly cry Went to the starnys and thyrlyt [Ruddim. thirllit] throw the sky a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv 26.
Ten thousand dairts, … Thirlis throu my hevy hart, but rest or rove