"carry on the business of a sutler, peddle," 1640s, perhaps a back-formation from suttler, variant of sutler. Related: Suttled; suttling.
Entries linking to suttle
sutler n.
formerly also suttler, "person who follows an army to sell food, liquor, etc. to soldiers," 1580s, from Middle Dutch soeteler "small tradesman, peddler, victualer, camp cook" (Dutch zoetelaar), cognate with Middle Low German suteler, sudeler "person who performs dirty tasks," Middle High German sudelen "to cook badly," Middle Dutch soetelen "to cook badly." Probably also related to Dutch zieder, German sieden "to seethe," from Proto-Germanic *suth-, from PIE root *seut- "to seethe, boil" (see seethe).