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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BÖL, BØL, BUIL, BÜol, BÜll, Bul, n.⁴, v.³ [bøl]

1. n. Also bule, buile, buill.

(1) “A sheepfold, a byre” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl. s.v. buil); “sheep-fold; enclosure” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928) s.v. bøl).Sh. 1795 J. Sinclair Agric. N. Highl. App. 29:
Others look after them a little better, driving them for shelter in time of snow, to what are called bulls, or dry places. Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description 436:
Nor is there any friendly shepherd to drive them to some buill, or dry place of shelter.Sh.(D) 1877 G. Stewart Sh. Fireside Tales (1892) 97:
An' hungry sheep in snawed-up büols.Sh.(D) 1898 “Junda” Echoes from Klingrahool 25:
An da horses croppin da lubba [coarse grass], An da böls whaar da gimmers lie.Sh.(D) 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 127:
“Shü'll [a sheep] hae a corne o' a warmer büll da night, eemage,” Sibbie said.

(2) “One of the divisions or stalls in a stable” (Ork. 1866 Edm. Gl.).Ork. 1774 P. Fea MS. Diary (Sept.):
In the Buile.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
The horse wad no let him enter the b[uil].

(3) A home.Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Sh. Trad. Lore 117:
“Yaw, yaw, mak de bul, but do'll no keen wha will hae him afore lang.” (Yes, yes, you make a home, but you never know who will hold it after you.)

2. v.

(1) “To drive cattle, sheep or horses to a certain resting place” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl. s.v. buil; 1908 Jak. (1928); Ork. 1929 Marw.).Sh. 1895 J. Hunter Da Last Foy (1947) 9:
He bules me, a sinner, In fields growin' green.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
To b[øl] de kye.

(2) Of animals: to rest in a certain place. Of people: to shelter, hide.Ib.:
De sheep bøls in sicc a place.Sh.(D) 1931 “Saga” in Sh. Times (14 March) 7:
Bit howld du on a meenit, boy, we'll juist bül wis here laek twa gjimmirs ta wi see whit laek shö is i' da brak, da moarn.