Etymology The noun is derived from Late Middle English thropul, þropul (“trachea, windpipe”); further etymology uncertain, but possibly a variant of throte-bolle (“laryngeal prominence, Adam’s apple; larynx; epiglottis; animal’s esophagus or neck; flesh covering throat of a deer”) [and other forms] (whence English throat-boll (obsolete)), from Old English þrotbolla [and other forms], from þrote (“throat”) + bolla (“bowl”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow; to swell up”)). The verb is derived from the noun.
A greater quantitie of victuall is carried from Zeila, [...] and beastes also, as namely sheepe, [...] as also certaine other all white with tayles a fathome long, and writhen like a vine branche, hauing thropples vnder their throtes like bulles.[1600, Al-Hassan ibn-Mohammed al-Wezaz al-Fasi [i.e., Leo Africanus], “A Briefe Relation Concerning the Dominions, Reuenues, Forces, and Maner of Gouernment of Sundry the Greatest Princes either Inhabiting within the Bounds of Africa, or at least Possessing Some Parts thereof, Translated, for the Most Part, out of Italian”, in John Pory, transl., edited by Robert Brown, The History and Description of Africa and of the Notable Things therein Contained, […] (Works Issued by the Hakluyt Society; no. XCIV), volume III, London: […] Hakluyt Society, […], published 1896, →OCLC, page 982:
A broad piece of leather is then to be put round his neck; and the ends made faſt, by platting it, or ſome other way, at the withers, or before the wind-pipe, about two handfuls below the thrapple, betwixt the leather and his neck; [...]1759, Thomas Wallis, “COLT”, in The Farrier’s and Horseman’s Complete Dictionary: […], London: […] W. Owen, […]; and E. Baker, […], →OCLC, column 1:
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I hif a gude mind to ſwallow you, gin I kent your back widna ſtick in my thrapple.1781, [Helenus Scott], “The Little Woman in Great-Queen Street”, in The Adventures of a Rupee. […], London: […] J[ohn] Murray, […], published 1782, page 254:
Sara sent twice for the measure of George's Neck—he wondered, Sara should be such a fool, she might have measured William's or Coleridge's, as all poets' Thropples were of one Size.1800 December, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, edited by Kathleen Coburn, The Notebooks of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, volumes I (1794–1804: Text), Abingdon, Oxfordshire; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, published 2002, →ISBN, page 873:
Luok, leyke mad bulls they bang about, / Wi' shouts their thropples rivan, / Wheyle whup for smack the rabble rout, / Are yen owr tother drivan; [...][1807, John Stagg, “Rosley Fair”, in Miscellaneous Poems, Some of which are in the Cumberland and Scottish Dialects, Wigton, Cumberland: […] R. Hetherton, →OCLC, page 141:
Do you, Maister Francis, opine that ye will re-establish your father's credit by cutting your kinsman's thrapple, or getting your ain sneckit instead thereof in the College-yards of Glasgow?1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter XII, in Rob Roy. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 254:
Etymology The noun is derived from Late Middle English thropul, þropul (“trachea, windpipe”); further etymology uncertain, but possibly a variant of throte-bolle (“laryngeal prominence, Adam’s apple; larynx; epiglottis; animal’s esophagus or neck; flesh covering throat of a deer”) [and other forms] (whence English throat-boll (obsolete)), from Old English þrotbolla [and other forms], from þrote (“throat”) + bolla (“bowl”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow; to swell up”)). The verb is derived from the noun.
Then Mr. Weft began his tale, how he had been collared and well nigh thrappled in his ain shop; [...]1827 September, “The Monkey. [From Blackwood’s Magazine.]”, in Oliver Oldschool [pseudonym; John Elihu Hall], editor, The Port Folio, volume II (volume XXII overall), number 293, Philadelphia, Pa.: […] Harrison Hall, →OCLC, page 239:
A Scotch writer of the time [Sir James Balfour, 1st Baronet, of Denmilne and Kinnaird] has handed down, for the admiration of successive ages, "the renowned Christian valyancie of those godly women," regretting only that the bishop of Edinburgh escaped being "sticked" or "thrappled‡," by their pious hands, which unfortunately "were not as active as their minds were willing." [Footnote ‡: Strangled.]1835, “Chapter V. 1637.”, in Dionysius Lardner, editor, The Cabinet Cyclopædia. … History. England. […], volume V, London: […] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, […]; and John Taylor, […], →OCLC, page 177:
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We'll now have plinty o' time for the throopers, though I swore like a Trojan through thick an' thin (an' nearly got myself thrappled (throttled) for my pains be that powerful villain Fergus), that the fun ud be spilet, af the attack wasn't to-night.1862, M[atthew] Archdeacon, chapter XVI, in The Priest Hunter: An Irish Tale of the Penal Times, Dublin; London: James Duffy, […], →OCLC, page 168:
Forbye thrappling her, he had bit until the jugular; and she had lost sae meikle bluid, that you hae eaten her the noo roasted, instead o' her made intil soup.1862, “Literary and Domestic Life. 1832–37.”, in [Mary Wilson] Gordon, compiler, ‘Christopher North’: A Memoir of John Wilson […], volume II, Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, →OCLC, page 225:
"They throppled t' ane t' other;" took each other by the throat.1868, J[ohn] C[hristopher] Atkinson, “Thropple”, in A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect: Explanatory, Derivative, and Critical, London: John Russell Smith, […], →OCLC, page 531:
Wad ye believe't, I had the greatest ado ance to keep him frae thrappling a puir cat?1872, William Freeland, “A Visit”, in Love and Treason. […], volume II, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 23: