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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GORLIN, n. Also gorlan, gorelin, †go(a)rlin(g), †gorline; †gurlin. [′gɔrlɪn]

1. An unfledged bird, a nestling (Cld., Rxb., Dmf. 1825 Jam., gorlin(g); Mry.¹ 1925; Abd.¹³ 1910; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ags., Peb., Ayr., Gall., Dmf. 1955). Also in n.Eng. dial. Used attrib. = downy.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 4:
And, sploiting, strikes the stane his grany hit, Wi' pistol screed, shot frae his gorlin doup.Peb. 1817 R. Brown Comic Poems 157:
And gorlans featherless Beneath their mother's downy breast.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 333:
There's mony a wanton minor laird, Wi' frothy haurns and goarling baird, Wha langs to be my age.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. ix.:
The dove knows the hawk when but newly escaped from the shell, with its gorlin down upon it.s.Sc. 1838 Wilson's Tales of the Borders IV. 289:
But the nest is full . . . of the gorling in its hair.Dmf. 1903 J. L. Waugh Thornhill xv.:
The “gorelin” had died in his hand.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables iii.:
I ken . . . a moss-cheeper's wi' five wee gapin' gorlin's in't.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 54:
In buss an' hedge are gorlins.

Comb.: gorlin-hair, down (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 234; Kcb.⁹ 1955), of unfledged birds (Cld. 1825 Jam.), or of boys' cheeks.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 57:
Beardless boys, with nothing but goarlin hair on their chafts.

2. Fig. (1) A very young person, a whipper-snapper, an urchin (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., gurlin; Kcb. 1955); (2) a greedy person or animal, esp. of starlings or seagulls (Kcb. 1955); †(3) in pl.: the testicles of a ram (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).(1) Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 209:
It griev'd me . . . By Carlings and Gorlings To be sae sair opprest.