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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SATTLE, n., v. Also sattil, satell. Sc. forms of Eng. settle. See also Settle. [sɑtl]

I. n. 1. A settle, bench with back and arms, a long chair (Gall. 1969). Combs. sattle-bed, a divan bed (Gall. 1969), sattle chair, id. (Gall. 1904 E.D.D., Gall. 1969), sattle stane, a long stone used as a seat at the fireside.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 116:
The sattle chair, for seat or bed.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 483:
Sitting on the sattle-stane at the ingle-cheek taking a blaw o' the pipe.Ayr. 1846 Ballads (Paterson) 112:
To lean me on my sattle.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 49:
The pew wis a lang, lang timmer sattle, aa sheeny wi the dowpin doon o hunners o docks, smeeth's the face o a lochan on a quate simmer's day.

2. The middle passage way through a byre between the opposite rows of stalls (Per. 1904 E.D.D.). Phs. a misunderstanding of or confusion with Saiddle, n., 2.

II. v. 1. As in Eng. (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 265; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Ork., ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1969). In Sc. sometimes with for, up. Comb. sattle-grass, a sobering experience, one which dispels levity. See settle-grace, s.v. Settle.Fif. 1702 D. Beveridge Culross (1885) II. 44:
The satelling and establishing of the pryce.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 89:
At sattlin o' a nice or kittle point.Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Glenthorne II. 74:
Let me lie still here, till I sattle a wee.Ags. 1857 A. Douglas Ferryden 17:
Awa' for a half gill o' something, an' see an it'll sattle me.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton viii.:
I'se try an' get that sattl't up at the same time.Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 141:
That case was sattled for afore.Bwk. 1921 T.S.D.C. IV.:
She's gotten sattle-grass noo.ne.Sc. 1996 Phyllis J. Goodall in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 9:
Bit aach, chyaach,
It wis a weet Sunday,
So we sattilt for a high tea
At a fantoosh hotel in Cullen. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 2:
Young Attie Coutts wis thirty noo, nae sae young ony mair. Dammit! Twis time he wis merriet and sattled, wi the fairm tae think on. ne.Sc. 2004 Press and Journal (20 Sep) 12:
Eneuch, eneuch, afore I spew, so lat's sattle doon wi the theme o some tellin phrases in the hameower tongue, jist like "It wisna me".

Hence n. ‡sattlement, Sc. Law: the disposition of property by will, a testament, the document by which this is done. Now in Eng. form Settlement, q.v.Sc. 1707 Binns Papers (S.R.S.) II. 101:
It is in the Generals sattlement, which paragrafe he had coppied out.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton iv.:
Making some kin' o' a sattlement, for we're baith turnin' ower to years noo.

2. In the Presbyterian Churches: to appoint (a minister) to a pastoral charge; to provide (a vacant parish) with a minister. Hence sattlement, the placing of a minister in a parish.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xiii., xviii.:
The Coort o' Session steps in to interdict a sattlement by a Presbytery. . . . The Presbytery made a fashion o' sattlin' this Maister Middleton, that hed been helpener afore to Ferdie.

3. intr. Of a breeding animal: to conceive, become pregnant (Abd. 1969).