Definition of "suckle"

[…] the body of this fish [the Mannatee] is commonly 3 yards long and one broad, slow in swimming, wanting fins, in their place ayded with 2 paps which are not only suckles but stilts to creep a shoare upon such time she grazes […]

1638, Thomas Herbert, “Travels begun Anno 1626”, in Some yeares travels into divers parts of Asia and Afrique‎, London: Jacob Blome and Richard Bishop, Book 1, p. 26

[…] the breasts of HecubaWhen she did suckle Hector, looked not lovelierThan Hector’s forehead when it spit forth bloodAt Grecian sword, contemning.

c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iii]

Let us indulge them; they are not weak, suckled by Wisdom, taught to walk by Virtue.

1824, Walter Savage Landor, “The Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], page 35

But out of the woman’s great brown breast the milk gushed forth for the child, milk as white as snow, and when the child suckled at one breast it flowed like a fountain from the other, and she let it flow.

1931, Pearl S. Buck, chapter 4, in The Good Earth‎, New York: Modern Library, published 1944, page 35

Buz attempted to suckle his left nipple.

1982, Bernard Malamud, God’s Grace, New York: Avon, published 1983, page 60

She opened her eyes slightly, like a person drugged—dreamy and quiet. The baby suckled her.

1997, Ridley Pearson, Beyond Recognition‎, New York: Hyperion, page 129