c1576 T. Whythorne Autobiogr. (1961) 190 I þen bestored my stumps lyk A netteld hen.

1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil Descr. Liparen in tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis 95 They be fresh forging toe the netled Pallas an armoure.

1585 C. Fetherston tr. J. Calvin Comm. Actes Apostles xxiii. 521 Paul meant..with this excuse to mollifie their nettled minds.

1640 J. Howell Δενδρολογια 171 The Druinians..were extreamely nettled to see the Princely standell of their Royall Oke returne from Elaiana with a branch of willowes.

1694 T. D'Urfey Don Quixote 62 Then I know thou art nettled too about the delay of thy Preferment.

1720 C. Shadwell Sham Prince iv. 182 One of the Company..is a little nettled that the Princess should get you from her.

1766 W. Kenrick Falstaff's Wedding (new ed.) iv. x. 59 The nettled Harry arms, mean-time, for France.

1820 E. Elliott Peter Faultless 182 ‘With sorrow,’ Resum'd the nettled bride, ‘I own That, once, I knock'd my husband down.’

1888 Sat. Rev. 20 Oct. 466/2 Her own rather nettled defence..of the hideous rhymes which she affected.

1937 M. Allingham Dancers in Mourning iii. 46 The last car vanished down the drive with its cargo of nettled guests.

1991 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Apr. 106/3 The supervising producer got on the intercom and screamed at the nettled newsman for going on so long.

1671 H. Crouch Welch Trav. 369 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains Early Pop. Poetry Eng. (1866) IV. 343 He sate him down Upon a bed of nettles there..His nettled flesh did smart.

1798 E. Moody Poet. Trifles 58 Let not thy thought my abject state pursue, A crawling reptile in the nettled shade.

1830 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 28 631 Buried in some nettled nook of the kirkyard.

1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 732/2 He lies in a well-nettled corner of St. George's burying-ground.

1986 J. Joseph Persephone iii. 221 In her walk in the meadow taking a wider sweep; Halting near this tumble of old bricks Nettled, unsavoury.