bretheling

From Middle English bretheling.

bretheling (plural brethelings)

1. (archaic) Wretch; worthless person.
   • 1838, William Barclay Turnbull, Sir Beves of Hamtoun: A Metrical Romance, page 81:

     The palmer rod forth ase a king, And Beues wente alse a bretheling.

   • 1941, Best One-Act Plays, page 190:

     Ensured — what — what — do you play the bretheling in our house?

   • 1975, Georgette Heyer, My Lord John, page 380:

     Marck was relieved last month, lordling, and that bretheling Count of St Pol given such a buffet as he will not speedily forget.

• blethering

From brethel (“wretch”, from Old English *brēoþel (“degenerative, corruptive”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *breuþaną (“to fall apart, crumble”)) +‎ -ing. See brothel for more.

bretheling (plural brethelings)

1. bretheling (wretch; worthless person)

• English: bretheling

• “brẹ̄theling, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.