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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.

DRIBBLE, v. and n. Sc. usages.

1. v.

(1) To tipple (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems, Gl.; Ags.¹⁷ 1940). Ppl.adj. and vbl.n. dribblin(g). Hence dribbler, a tippler.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet (1869) 224:
Ilk waly-draiglin', dribblin' wight, Wha sleeps a' day, and drinks a' nicht.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 139:
If ever on earth was a h — ll . . . . There's none who more feel it themsells, Than delirious dribblers in drink.Ib. 139:
Tir'd wi' dribbling and drinking.

(2) To drizzle (Cai., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif. and Slk. correspondents 1940; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 161; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 185; Uls.² 1929). Ppl.adj. dribblin'. Also found in Eng. dial. Hence dribbly, drizzly.Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (May) 573:
“You have bad weather for your harvest.” “Ay, twa or three dribbly days.”Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 99:
Sair drookit wi' the dribblin' rain.

(3) fig.: to walk slowly and uncertainly.Sc. 1930 Scotsman (21 May) 16/1:
Thae feet, ne'er tired ahint plew tail, Frae brek o' morn till dyne, Noo stot whan dribblin' doon the gait, As if they wer' na mine.

(4) = Drib, v.¹Abd. 1951 Buchan Observer (14 Aug.):
Her assistants had “dribbled” their cows to the very last drop from the udder.

2. n.

(1) A drop, a small quantity, esp. of liquor. In pl. = dregs. Dim. dribblick(ie), -ach (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 42, -ick(ie); Bnff.², Abd.⁹ (-ach) 1940).Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet xx.:
There is a wee dribble of brandy in the stoup.Bnff. 1853 Bnffsh. Jnl. (21 June):
Come, Norland muse, and with thee bring, Nae dribblach draps frae heather spring.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 28:
Withouten fill O' dribbles frae the gude brown cow, Or Highland gill.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller xvi.:
I . . . took a wee drappie dribble, maybe whiles ower muckle.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxii.:
[They] were waiting . . . for the dribbles of the bottles, and the leavings in the bowls.

Phr.: to tak' the dribble, to tipple (Sc. 1818 Sawers Dict. Sc. Lang.).

(2) A drizzle (Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Fif.¹⁰ 1940; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 161). Also in Suf. dial.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 301:
Fogs, haurs, hazes, mists, sleets, dribbles, drizzles.Ayr. 1786 Burns To a Mouse vi.:
To thole the Winter's sleety dribble.