headling

noun, adv — 3 senses

headling

noun

Etymology From Middle English hedling, hevedling, from Old English hēafodling (“an equal, fellow-servant”), equivalent to head + -ling. Cognate with German Häuptling (“chief, chieftain”). Piecewise doublet of chefling and chiefling.

1

Obsolete, Rare An equal; a fellow; mate.

2

Obsolete, Rare A chieftain.

headling

adv

Etymology From Middle English hedling, heedling, hevedlynge (“headlong”), equivalent to head + -ling. Cognate with Scots heidlingis (“headlong”), Middle High German houbetlingen (“headlong”).

1

Headlong; precipitately.

Derived terms
headlong

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.