Thing To Do Today: kittle someone's fancy.

 Where have you been all the day, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?

Where have you been all the day my Billy Boy?

I've been walking in the lane with my darling Nancy Jane

And my Nancy kittled my fancy. Oh my darling Billy Boy.

There are other versions of this song, but this is the one that was around when I was young. It was obvious what kittle meant, even though I've never come across the word in any other context. 

At least, I thought it was obvious until I looked it up in a dictionary.

Kittle, my Collins dictionary tells me, is a Scottish word which can mean annoyingly unpredictable. Or, alternatively, it can mean troublesome or puzzling (to someone).

Neither of these meanings makes sense in the verse above, but luckily there's a third meaning which is to tickle. 

Well, I thought I had the word kittle sorted out, then, until I had a look at Dictionary.com, which tells me that, as well as tickle, kittle means either to agitate or stir, as with a spoon, or to excite or rouse a person, especially with flattery or strong words.

On the other hand the adjectival form kittler means ticklish, fidgety, or requiring skill or caution, or precarious.

I'm now rather less ignorant, but much more confused.

I can only suggest we all indulge in a bit of unexpected and dangerous flattery, possibly including a little light tickling, while stirring a cup of tea. 

That should cover it.

Thing To Do Today: kittle someone's fancy. The Old English form of this word was kitelung.The Old Norse kitla means tickle.