disparple

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French disparpelier, disparpillier et al., apparently from a late prefixed form of Latin papilio (butterfly).

Verb[edit]

disparple (third-person singular simple present disparples, present participle disparpling, simple past and past participle disparpled)

  1. (obsolete) To scatter, disperse. [14th–17th c.]
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XX:
      ‘Alas,’ seyde Sir Gawayne and Sir Gareth, ‘now ys thys realme holy destroyed and myscheved, and the noble felyshyp of the Rounde Table shall be disparbeled.’