Dictionary entry

Troll (2)

Webster's Dictionary 1913

Troll (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Trolled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Trolling.] [OE. trollen to roll, F. trôler, Of. troller to drag about, to ramble; probably of Teutonic origin; cf. G. trollen to roll, ramble, sich trollen to be gone; or perhaps for trotler, fr. F. trotter to trot (cf. Trot.). Cf. Trawl.] 1. To move circularly or volubly; to roll; to turn.

To dress and troll the tongue, and roll the eye. Milton.

2. To send about; to circulate, as a vessel in drinking.

Then doth she troll to the bowl. Gammer Gurton's Needle.

Troll the brown bowl. Sir W. Scott.

3. To sing the parts of in succession, as of a round, a catch, and the like; also, to sing loudly or freely.

Will you troll the catch? Shak.

His sonnets charmed the attentive crowd,

By wide-mouthed mortaltrolled aloud. Hudibras.

4. To angle for with a trolling line, or with a book drawn along the surface of the water; hence, to allure.

5. To fish in; to seek to catch fish from.

With patient angle trolls the finny deep. Goldsmith.