Etymology 1
From ring + -le. The verb comes from the noun.
Noun
ringle (plural ringles)
- (dialectal, obsolete) A metal ring.
1623, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, A Iovrnall of the Voyage of the Young Prince Fredericke Henry, Prince of Bohemia, London: […] Nathaniel Butter; Nicholas Bourne, page 9:This being moreouer the generall courteſie of the great Cities of Germany, to preſent their loues to all Princes their ftiends,and Ambaſſadors of Princes;with an Oration,the Burgers bring each of them a great bottle of wine, which hangs by a ringle upon his arme; and if hee hath any buſineſſe or Embaſſie to their State, they ſend him alſo Oates and Fiſh.
1639, Robert Ward, chapter CCLV, in Anima'dversions of Warre, or, A Militarie Magazine of the Trvest Rvles, and Ablest Instrvctions, for the Managing of Warre, London: […] Iohn Dawſon, […] Francis Eglesfield, page 372:[…] then they take a peece of Timber, or ſome Maſt of a Ship, which being fitted in due length for the place, the one end of this Bome hath a Staple of ſtrong Iron which is joyned by a Ringle to a ſecond Staple that is droven into the inmoſt Spile ;
1647, John Mayer, chapter XI, in Many Commentaries in One, London: […] John Leggtt; Richard Cotes; […] William Leak, page 626:[…] hereupon it is commonly obſerved, that the faireſt women are rarely the chaſteſt ; ſome, becauſe a faire woman that is fooliſh is drawne by gold, and gaine, to ſubject her ſelfe to mens luſts, this being as a ringle in her ſnout, to turne her about, and lead her whether they will.
Verb
ringle (third-person singular simple present ringles, present participle ringling, simple past and past participle ringled)
- (transitive, dialectal, obsolete) To fit or attach a ringle to.
1573, Thomas Tusser, “Septembers husbandrie” (chapter 12), in Five hundreth points of good huſbandry […] , London, page 19:70 For rooting of paſture ring hog ye had need,
Which being well ringled,the better do feed.
Though yong with their elders, will lightly kepe beſt
yet ſpare not to ringle, both great and the reſt.
1611, George Turberville, The Booke of Falconrie or Havvking, London: […] Thomas Purfoot, page 191:Foꝛ commonly a fox will lurke in ſuch, to pꝛey oꝛ eſpy his aduãtage upõ dame Wertelot, ſuch other damſels that keepe in thoſe Courts, and to ſee yong pigges well ringled whẽ they are yong, foꝛ feare leaſt they ſhould learn to turne up gentlemẽs paſtures, […]
1867 July, Henry H. Dixon, “Feeding Poultry for the London Market”, in The Farmer's Magazine, and Monthly Journal of the Agricultural Interest, volume XXXIL, number 1, London: Rogerson and Tuxford, page 513:They are then sold at a small profit, of sometimes only 6d. per head, to the larger farmers to " shack" upon the barley or oat stubbles, while the " swine well ringled" are put upon the wheat ones.
Etymology 2
Blend of ringtone + single. Coined by Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
Noun
ringle (plural ringles)
- (music, uncommon) A CD single which includes a shortened ringtone version. [from 2007]
2007 September 15, Ed Christman, “Ringles In, List Price Out?”, in Billboard, volume 110, number 37, page 21:The ringle is expected to contain three songs—one hit and maybe one remix and one older track—and one ringtone, on a CD with a slip sleeve cover.
2007 October 10, “Music industry betting on 'ringle' format”, in CNET, archived from the original on 2024-06-16:Meanwhile, label profit margins for the format are considered slim. The majors are gambling that the ringle can instill in consumers the mind-set to connect to the Internet via the CD.
2009 April, Proceedings: The 84th Annual Meeting 2008, number 97, National Association of Schools of Music, page 78:The ringle is a physical CD that contains three songs — a hit, a remix and an older track by the artist—and a mobile phone ringtone. Both Sony/BMG and Universal Music Group are releasing ringles into the market in time for Christmas sales. Sony/BMG is experimenting with the release of 50 ringles, while Universal is releasing up to 20 during the same period.