fettle

fet·tle
F4E1T1T1L1E1
/ˈfɛtl̩/

noun

A state of physical condition; kilter or trim.

OriginMiddle English fetlen ← Old English fetel ← Proto-Germanic *fatilaz →
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Meanings

nounfettle (plural fettles)

plural fettles

  1. A state of physical condition; kilter or trim.

    These strong 2-8-2s […] appeared in good fettle, especially those shedded at Lublin and several arrivals and departures were photographed in the fine evening light.

    1979 August, P. R. G. Kennard, “Polish Steam Panorama”, in Railway World, page 421
  2. One's mental state; spirits.
  3. Sand used to line a furnace.
  4. ceramicsA seam line left by the meeting of mould pieces.
  5. UKdialectalThe act of fettling.
  6. CumbriaGeordieA person's mood or state, often assuming the worst.

    What’s yer fettle marra?

verbfettle (third-person singular simple present fettles, present participle fettling, simple past and past participle fettled)

present singular third person fettles · participle present fettling · participle past fettled · past fettled

  1. Northern EnglandespeciallyTo sort out, to fix, to mend, to repair.

    He is getting his saddle altered: fettling about this and that; does not consider what danger he is in.

    1858, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II of Prussia
    1 more example

    For some time after the train had gone Oscar stood on the track conversing with members of the fettling gang […]

    1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter VI, in Capricornia, page 83
  2. intransitiveTo make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business.

    Nor list he now go whistling to the car, But sells his team , and fettleth to the war

    1597, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in Virgidemiarum, Sixe Bookes. First Three Bookes, of Tooth-lesse Satyrs. […], London: […] Thomas Creede, for Robert Dexter, →OCLC
  3. transitiveTo line the hearth of a furnace with sand prior to pouring molten metal.
  4. GeordiereflexiveTo be upset or in a bad mood.

    Divint fettle yersel ower that!

  5. ceramicsTo remove (as by sanding) the seam lines left by the meeting of two molds.
  6. transitiveengineeringTo machine away seam lines or more generally to make small adjustments to a component or machine to improve its fit or operation.

    He wants to fettle his gearchange mechanism before the next competition.

  7. archaictransitiveTo prepare.

    But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next...

    1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
condition

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ped-“foot”
  2. Proto-Germanic*fatōną
  3. Old Englishfetian“to fetch”
  4. Proto-Germanic*fatilaz
  5. Old Englishfetel“belt, girdle, fettle”
  6. Middle Englishfetlen“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”
  7. Englishfettle

From Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) [and other forms], which possibly: * from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz, further etymology unknown; or * from Old English fetian (“to fetch”), from Proto-Germanic *fatōną, *fatjaną (“to fetch”), from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“foot”). Compare Old English ġefetelsod (“provided with a belt; trimmed, polished, ornamented”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian форма, състояние
  • форма (forma)state of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • състояние (săstojanie)one’s mental state — see also spirits
Czech stav, forma
  • stavstate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • formastate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
Finnish kunto, veto
  • kuntostate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • vetostate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • kuntoone’s mental state — see also spirits
German Zustand, Form
  • Zustandstate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • Formstate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • Einklangstate of physical condition — see also kilter, trim
  • Zustandone’s mental state — see also spirits
  • Geisteszustandone’s mental state — see also spirits
  • Verfassungone’s mental state — see also spirits
  • Formsandsand to line a furnace
  • Gratseam line left by the meeting of mold pieces
  • Zustandperson’s mood or state, often assuming the worst
  • richtento sort out, fix, mend or repair
  • reparierento sort out, fix, mend or repair
  • flickento sort out, fix, mend or repair
  • ordnento make preparations, put things in order or do trifling business
  • vorbereitento make preparations, put things in order or do trifling business
  • arrangierento make preparations, put things in order or do trifling business
  • pröttelnto make preparations, put things in order or do trifling business
  • auskleidento line the hearth of a furnace with sand
  • ausfüllento line the hearth of a furnace with sand
  • beschrotento remove seam lines left by the meeting of two molds
  • beschneidento remove seam lines left by the meeting of two molds
  • putzento remove seam lines left by the meeting of two molds

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with fettle

metalsettlekettleGretelmettlebettlein fine fettle
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

fettle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fettle

MLA

“fettle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fettle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fettle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fettle.

Source: fettle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.