Fettle

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -É›tÉ™l

Origin

Old English fetel.

Full definition of fettle

Noun

1. A state of proper physical condition; kilter or trim.
2. One's mental state; spirits.
3. Sand used to line a furnace.
4. (Geordie, Cumbria) A person's mood or state, often assuming the worst.What's yer fettle marra?
5. (ceramics) a seam line left by the meeting of mold pieces.
6. (UK, dialect) The act of fettling.

Usage notes

Outside of dialectical usage a fossil word, used only in the phrase in fine fettle.

Derived terms

• in fine fettle

Verb

1. (Northern England) To sort out, to fix, to mend, to repair.
2. (intransitive) To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business.
3. (transitive) To line the hearth of a furnace with sand prior to pouring molten metal.
4. (transitive, Geordie) To be upset or in a bad mood.Divint fettle yersel ower that!
5. In ceramics, to remove (as by sanding) the seam lines left by the meeting of two molds.
6. (transitive, archaic) To prepare.
• 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and JulietBut fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next...

Derived terms

• fettler
• fettling