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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CROTTLE, Crotle, Crottil, n.² and v. Also crit(t)le. [krɔt(ə)l, krɪt(ə)l]

1. n. A small piece of anything hard, such as coal or stone; “a bread-crumb” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Usually in pl.; “small fragments” (w.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw in Country Schoolmaster (ed. Wallace) 346). Also found in n.Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).Rnf. 1825 Jam.²:
Lay on twa-three crottils on the fire.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 257:
He flung a bakiefu' o' crittles on the fire.

Hence crotly, crotlie, crit(t)ly, adj., fragmentary, “small” (Ayr.³ 1910, critly), crumbly.Per. 1898 E.D.D.:
It's a' in crittly bits and won't mend.Dmf. 1830 Mem. Curl. Mab. (ed. R. Brown) 44:
The latter metal [whin-stone], in its natural state, is crusted over with a white surface . . . presenting when broken the crotly appearance of an old ewe-milk cheese.Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 22:
Bring in some crotlie bits o' coal for the fire.

¶2. v. To crumble away.Sc.(E) 1926 “H. M'Diarmid” Drunk Man 68:
. . . like a ghinn oot o' a bottle, Daith rises frae's when oor lives crottle.