cymling n Also cimlin, cym(b)lin(g), simblin(g), simlin; arch forms cimbeline, cymbline, cimnin, simnin [Varr, prob of Engl dial origin, of earlier (and now obs) simnel (OED3 simnel n. 3 1640→). A Simnel was orig a kind of bun or cake; the flattish squash with scalloped edges was so-called from its similar shape. Variants of the type simlin (in ref to the bun or cake) are well attested from Engl dial (OED3 simlin n. 1 1701→, EDD simlin).] chiefly Sth, S Midl
1 also cymling squash: A squash n B1; orig, and often still, applied esp to the pattypan squash n. Cf cinnamon squash n
[1648 Plantagenet Descr. New Albion 25, Strawberries, Mulberries, Symnels, Maycocks and Horns like Cucumbers. 1676 Tompson New Englands Crisis 6 MA, When Cimnels were accounted noble bloud / Among the tribes of common herbage food. 1705 Beverley Hist. VA 2.27, Their Macocks are a sort of Melopepones, or lesser sort of Pompion, of these they have great Variety, but the Indian Name Macock serves for all, which Name is still retain’d among them. Yet the Clypeatæ [=“shield-shaped (squash)”] are sometimes call’d Cymnels (as are some others also) from the Lenten Cake of that Name, which many of them very much resemble.] 1775 (1924) Cresswell Jrl. 95, This morning one of the Company went to the Canoe for our Kettle, the rest plundered about the plantation and got some young cabbages, squashes, and Cimbelines. 1779 in 1906 Documents Revol. Hist. NJ 3.649, We have . . destroyed a large country of corn, pumpkins, cymblines, cucumbers, water-melons, peaches and apples. a1782 (1788) Jefferson Notes VA 40, The following were found in Virginia when first visited by the English; but it is not said whether of spontaneous growth, or by cultivation only. . . Pumkins. Cucurbita pepo. Cymlings. Cucurbita verrucosa. Squashes. Cucurbita melopepo. 1804 (1904) Clark Orig. Jrls. Lewis & Clark Exped. 1.234 VA, Several Indians also visited us one brought Pumpkins or Simnins as a preasent. Ibid 240, She made a kittle of boiled Cimnins, beens, Corn & Choke Cheries with the Stones, which was palitable. 1824 Randolph VA House-Wife 134, Squash or Cimlin. Gather young squashes, peel, and cut them in two [etc]. 1844 Thompson Major Jones’s Courtship 39 GA, One feller had . . cowcumbers, simblins . . and every other vegetable you could think of. 1887 Amer. Philol. Assoc. Trans. for 1886 17.38 Sth, S Midl Cymbling or simlin, a ‘variety of squash.’ This and not squash is the universal name for the fruit in the South. 1899 (1912) Green VA Folk-Speech 140, Cymblin. . . A sort of eatable gourd. 1903 DN 2.329 seMO, Simlin. . . A small kind of squash. 1909 DN 3.369 eAL, wGA, Sim(b)lin. . . A sort of squash or gourd. 1926 DN 5.399 Ozarks, Cymblin. . . A small, hard, striped gourd. 1938 FWP Guide Delaware 363, The cooking is done by women of vast experience in preparing corn and beans, fried cymlin’ (squash), . . and many other dishes native to the Peninsula. 1950 PADS 14.25 SC, Cymlin’, cymling, simlin. . . A variety of squash, the pan squash. 1954 Harder Coll.cwTN, Cymlin. . . A type of gourd, usually small. 1960 Greenville Advocate (AL) 24 Nov [2]/1, We have just learned that the correct way to spell a certain kind of squash is cymling. We always thought that those little flat squashes which resemble over-size corn muffins, were spelled simlins. 1965–70 DARE (Qu. I23) 32 Infs, chiefly C Atl, Cymling squash; VA46, White cymling; CA87, NC12, 14, 44, Cymlings. 1966 Orlando Sentinel (FL) 16 Jan sec A 5/2 KY, A simlin is a flat scalloped squash generally raised in Virginia and Kentucky. 1983 MJLF 9.56 ceKY (as of 1956), Simlin . . a flat squash with scalloped edges. 2009 Progress–Index (Petersburg VA) 16 Aug sec A 3/1, My neighbor Butch Thomas came to my cabin Sunday with a batch of simblings; You don’t see those anymore, everything is yellow squash now. 2021 News–Democrat (Carrollton KY) 1 July sec A 3/4, Fried yellow squash (which we called simlin), and fried zucchini were always a favorite dish of mine.
2 Prob = citron melon n 2.
1906 DN 3.156 nwAR, Sim(b)lin. . . Bitter gourd, mock melon, pithy gourd which is sometimes mistaken for a melon. 1954 PADS 21.25 SC, Cymling, simling, simlin. . . A variety of dwarf watermelon found in cotton fields. It seldom grows bigger than the double fist, with seeds correspondingly small. The flesh is of a yellowish or pale pink color and far inferior in taste to the watermelon.