Pingle

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To whine or complain in a persistent, fretful manner ; to move about in a restless or agitated way
2. To utter complaints in a thin, peevish voice ; to fidget or prance about without purpose or direction
3. To whimper or cry weakly in a querulous tone ; to move with nervous, restless motions

Etymology: "Pingle" is a rare English verb meaning to struggle or work at something in a small, fussy way, and its origins are uncertain. One possible root is "pin" in its old sense of "to impound," as in shutting an animal up in a pound, which would suggest a sense of being penned in or confined. The other likely source is sound itself: the word may be onomatopoeic, built to imitate a small, fiddling noise. Neither explanation can be confirmed, so the two possibilities are best held side by side. The "pin" link would tie the word to a legal and farming term once common in English, while the sound-based idea would make it a word shaped by the rhythm of its own action. The two are not mutually exclusive, since a word can take its form from one source and its sense from another.