† petlingn.
Obsolete.
A little pet; an indulged or spoiled person or child.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > tenderness > foolish affection, excessive love or fondness > [noun] > one who is petted or a pet
cockneyc1405
cocknel1570
cosset1596
dandling1611
leveret1617
lap-thing1744
petling1774
petkin1863
1774 Edward I. 86 And is it then a wonder, if the wilfull petling thinks of throwing off a wife as he would break a bauble.
1837 New Monthly Mag. 51 183 Be-scented and be-lioned petlings!
1898 Living Age 2 Apr. 33/1 Ma Betty, meaning it in affection, had called him her ‘heavenly petling’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.1774