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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PURL, n., v. Also purle, purel; parl; porl; pirl; perl, pearl-.

I. n. 1. One of the little balls of dung excreted by such animals as sheep, rabbits and mice (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 175, 1908 Jak. (1928), parl, porl, pirl, perl; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw., pirl). Gen.Sc.; “dried cow-dung used for fuel” (Fif., Slk. 1825 Jam.). Dims. pirlag (Ork., Cai. 1967), purlack (Per. 1967). Hence purlockie, covered with dung, of a sheep's hindquarters (Id.).Sc. 1704 J. Moncrief Poor Man's Physician (1731) 241:
Steep an Handful of Sheeps Purles in a large Mutchkin of Carduus-water.Hdg. 1728 J. Kerr Golf-Bk. E.Lth. (1896) 41:
They ordain . . . that non gather the purels of the common green to prejudg the growing of the grass.Sc. 1803 Prize Essays Highl. Soc. 218:
The dung of the animal is excreted in small quantities, and in the form of small hard purls, which are generally black and foetid.Lth. 1825 Jam.:
The auld woman was gathering horse-purls. She dries them on her window-sole, and uses them for lunts, or even to mend her little fire.Ags. 1879 A. Fenton Forfar Poets 141:
An' shairny purls deckt the skirt Just like the hips o' Doddy, O.Ork. 1910 Old-Lore Misc. III. iv. 209:
When my father examined my pockets they were full of sheep pirlags and horse dung.Per.¹ 1950:
Sheep purls is guid for the rhubarb.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 29:
'Tabacca's low,' his uncle had said. 'Awa up on the hill, James, and fetch us mair rabbit purls. Mind that they're no full dried oot, but crotlie - like this, see.' He handed him a twist of brown leaf, breaking it up with his fingers.

2. Fig. “a despicable person” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).

II. v. 1. To void excrement (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1967); vbl.n. purlin, pirlin, pearlin, a ball of horse manure, freq. dried and used for fuel (Sh. 1967, pirlin).Peb. 1802 C. Findlater Agric. Peb. 399:
This disease may be prevented by . . . moving the animals from their layers early in the morning, making them walk about for some time, in order to encourage them to pass their urine and purl.Ork. 1909 Old-Lore Misc. II. iii. 131:
It was nought but a “wizened horse pearlin.”

2. To collect cow-dung for fuel, to gather purls (Fif., Slk. 1825 Jam.).