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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

SHAULD, adj., n., v. Also †schald, sha(a)ld (Sh.); shaal, shaul, shawl; †shull-; †shale, shail, shell. [ʃǫ:l; I.Sc. ʃɑ:ld; Cai. ʃel]

I. adj. 1. Shallow, not deep (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 106; Cld.1825 Jam.; I. and n.Sc., Per., Kcb. 1970).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 289:
Shaal Waters make the greatest Sound.Inv. c.1730 Trans. Inv. Scientif. Soc. I. 227:
Deep plates and shale plates are in constant request.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 37:
That stream's but shaul.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 62:
Producing maist din like the sea where its shawlest.Kcb. 1901 R. D. Trotter Gall. Gossip 467:
He fell in wi the salmon in the shaul water naur the fit o' the pule.Cai. 1916 John o' Groat Jnl. (14 April):
The ground was divided into rigs and “flotts,” two five-space rigs making a flott. A “back” or “shell” fur divided the rigs. “Shell” or “shaul” is just a contraction of shallow.Sh. 1933 J. Nicolson Hentilagets 23:
Dan at times dy rodd is rouch an shaald.Cai. 1952 Edb. John o' Groat Liter. Soc.:
He's a shaal water fish, as ye weel understan'.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 58. 15:
Rivin 'is life oot apo a shail patch a grund i da daal.Abd. 1961 P. Buchan Mount Pleasant 63:
It's been the same for twa-three days Baith in the deep an' shaul.

2. Shallow, in fig. senses, superficial in character, empty-headed (Sh. 1970). Comb. shawl-headit, id.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 120:
The sumphish Mob of Penetration shawl.Ayr. 1785 Burns Twa Herds x.:
There's Duncan, deep, and Peebles, shaul.Sc. 1813 The Scotchman 119:
Ane Jamie Catlug, a shawl headit clerk.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 476:
A shauler gow was never born.

II. n. A shallow part in the sea or a river, etc., a shoal (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1914, shaald; I. and n.Sc., Fif., Ayr. 1970). Dim. shullie.Sc. c.1723 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 177:
As they sail tween life's craigs and shauls.Mry. 1736 Session Papers, Duff v. Gordon (16 July) 2:
On the Sea-coasts and even in Rivers so far as the Sea flows, carrying sand alongst with it, and leaving Shaulds at low Water.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 56:
Spottie keen, a neebor's collie, Through a moss cam rinnin hame, Skippin lightly on ilk shullie.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Descr. Sh. 563:
To this tune [the Foula Reel] a song was afterwards adapted, named the Shaalds of Foula, bearing allusion to a profitable fishery for cod that was long conducted upon those shaalds or shoals.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 52:
The' wur a terrable swell i' him teu, an' he was brackan' on a' the shawls.Fif. 1951 P. Smith The Herrin' 17:
‘Twas ca'ed the “Shaulds” by aulder chaps.

†III. v. 1. To become shallow (Sc. 1880 Jam., schald).

2. To kill salmon in shallow water by spearing them with a Leister (s.Sc. 1808 Jam.).Dmf. 1792 Stat. Acc.¹ II. 15:
Some of our people are very dexterous at this exercise, and will sometimes upon horse-back throw a leister, and kill at a great distance. This is also called shauling; as it is generally practised, when the tide is almost spent, and the waters turned shallow.