[Hmm] Oops, wrong poll ...

[dancefloorlandmine]

I suppose this is the poll which I should have asked instead of this.

(The "Northern/Southern/Other" classification is for identifying how you identify yourself, rather than what the word means in different regions.)
[Poll #558245]
* or at least, what did it mean before this afternoon's digression

Comments

[easterbunny.livejournal.com]

Fettle = ferrous kettle.

[trampledamage.livejournal.com]

:o) We of the Midlands thank you! I now aspire to be a strange and mysterious snowflake...

Fettle Attraction

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Anyone who's worked in a machine shop or a foundry will know that fettling is the nasty job of hammering and filing off the sharp flutes and coxcombs of metal that are found on the edges of a rough casting.

Northern bikers will use the term for tuning-up a bike - nowadays, the suspension as well as the engine.

And I've never heard the term anywhere south of Aston, 'Fine Fettle' or 'Fettling'.

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

Am I Northern or Other? You had a Scots category before!

[trampledamage.livejournal.com]

I guess what this and the other poll do show is that we're all really particular about identifying our roots!

[deviblue.livejournal.com]

Well as far as I'm concerned 'fettle' has a couple of meanings here...apart from the metal casting correct useage.

Fettle either means 'mood' or 'fight and win'

In the 'fight and win' meaning its interchangeable with 'fell'
Eg
'I'll fettle you' and 'I'll fell you' are identical in meaning

in the good sence it usually means a bad mood grumpy or angry.
eg
'He/Shes in a right fettle' - he/shes in a bad mood
'Oh they're in a fine fettle the day
It can, however be used in a positive sence
Eg 'You're in a good fettle' but thats usually only used if the person is in an unsually good mood

[trampledamage.livejournal.com]

Fettle, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary:

NOUN:
1a. Proper or sound condition.
1b. Mental or emotional state; spirits: was in fine fettle.
2. Metallurgy Loose sand or ore used to line the hearth of a reverberatory furnace in preparation for pouring molten metal.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Middle English fetlen, to make ready, possibly from Old English fetel, girdle.

[rich-r.livejournal.com]

I too think it's got several meanings.

But the one I tend to use most is in the sense of 'just needs a bit of fettling to make it fit'. In other words, probably related to the casting meaning, as in finishing off.

[minusbat.livejournal.com]

None of those are right - 'fettle' just means 'condition' so something can be in fine fettle or it can be in crap fettle.