singler

From Middle English singler, from Old French sangler, seingler, sengler (“single, individual”) and a shortened form of Middle English singuler.^[1]

singler (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Singular.
   • , George Ioye, The Letters Which Iohan Ashwel Priour of Newnham Abbey Besids Bedforde / Sente Secretely to the Bishope of Lyncolne in the Yeare of our Lorde M.D.xxvij. Where in the Sayde Priour Accuseth George Ioye That Tyme Beinge Felawe of Peter College in Cambridge / of Fower Opiniõs: with the Answer of the Sayed George vn to the Same Opinions, : :

     Nomore then it lyeth in the libertye of the liuelye tre wel planted to ceaſſe frome bringing forth hir frutes in hir time / except God altereth this his natural ordinaunce bi ſome ſingler gifte.

   • 1553, Quintus Curcius, translated by Iohn Brende, The Historie of Quintus Curcius, Conteyning the Actes of the Greate Alexander, London: Rycharde Tottell:

     In doing whereof there neither wanted polycie in him ſelf, nor yet ſingler manhode in his men.

   • 1579, [Francesco] Guicciardin, translated by Geffray Fenton, The Historie of Guicciardin, Conteining the VVarres of Italie and Other Partes, Continued for Many Yeares vnder Sundry Kings and Princes, together with the Variations and Accidents of the Same: And Also the Argumentes, vvith a Table at Large Expressing the Principall Matters Through the VVhole Historie, London: Thomas Vautroullier, pages 386–387:

     But Maximilian reteyning ſtill a ſingler ambition in this iorney, would admit no companion or communitie of name or authoritie […].

From single +‎ -er.

singler (plural singlers)

1. One who singles (thins out) plants.
   • 1843, Barugh Almack, “On the Drill Husbandry of Turnips.—Prize Essay.”, in The Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, volume the fourth, London: John Murray, section V (The Manner of performing the Hoeing), page 69:

     Where the young turnip plants are very thin in the rows they may easily and readily be singled by the hoe alone; but, where turnips are very thick in the rows, it is desirable, if not actually necessary, that singlers should be employed.

   • 1877, Saxon [pseudonym; Robert de Bruce Trotter], “The Lower Orders”, in Galloway Gossip Sixty Years Ago; Being a Series of Articles Illustrative of the Manners, Customs, and Peculiarities of the Aboriginal Picts of Galloway, Choppington, Northumberland: Robert Trotter; Bedlington: George Richardson, pages 332–333:

     Their backs were to him, and their heads close to the ground, and of course out of sight, so that they looked like a lot of immense bee-skeps, covered with coarse bags, […] ‘Goodness! gracious! father! what sort of creatures are those!’ ‘Singlers, my boy, Singlers,’ was the reply. […] ‘They are the working people, you know,’ says the father, ‘and they’re always grumbling; they want more money, better houses, shorter hours, and all sorts of things that poor people have no right to think of.’ ‘What shocking creatures!’ replied the son, […].

   • 1886, R E G Cole, “SINGLER, s.”, in A Glossary of Words used in South-West Lincolnshire. (Wapentake of Graffoe)., London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., page 131:

     She’s gone singling, they can’t get singlers enew.

   • 1968, Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, page 5:

     The singler could be provided with means for compensating for an irregular braird.

• slinger, resling, Ringles, lingers, Slinger, Ringels, Lingers

singler

1. to sail (to navigate in a watercraft)

• Middle French conjugation varies from one text to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

• French: cingler

singler m

1. indefinite plural of single