Etymology: Either (i) the reflex of an unattested Old English *cimblian < cimb edge, rim (only in compounds: see chime n.2) + -le suffix 3, or (ii) < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic kimbla to truss up: see note), with analogical substitution of initial /tʃ/ for /k/.Old Icelandic kimbla to truss up, is a denominative verb < kimbill bundle (in the compound kimbla-band , the name of a type of poetic metre, literally ‘the bundles' bond’; Icelandic kimbill ), cognate with Old Norwegian kimbull bundle (Norwegian regional kimbel , kjemmel heap), and further with Middle Dutch kymmel (1477 in Teuthonista), Middle Low German kimmel , both in the sense ‘bit (for a horse), gag’ < the Germanic base of chime n.2 + the Germanic base of -le suffix.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
v.c1400