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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WARPLE, v. Also warpel. [wɑrpl]

1. tr. To intertwine, twist, entangle; fig., to confuse (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; ne.Sc., Slg., Fif., Lth., wm.Sc. 1973).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 91:
Fan she saw things had taken sic a cast, An' sae thro' ither warpl'd were.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
That yarn's sae warplit, that I canna get it redd.Dmf. 1874 R. Reid Moorland Rhymes 38:
Her glamour had warplet the clear gaun brain.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 153:
'Mang life's warplin' cares had trippit.Kcb. 1909 Gallovidian No. 41. 9:
Sometimes things got warpled and there would be a general melée.Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xxix. 5:
The man wha's aye fraise-fraisin at his neibour Is spreadin a net to warple him.Ayr. 1927 J. Carruthers A Man Beset i. i.:
A' they sliddery weeds on the bottom is warplit roon my legs.

2. intr. To twist or wind round.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 227:
Warl's griefs an' cares are unco rife, An' warple roond a body's life.Kcb. 1890 A. J. Armstrong Musings 141:
They [tawse] warpled roun' his lanky shanks.

3. To wrestle, tumble, wriggle (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.). Vbl.n. warpling, wrestling, tumbling. Also attrib.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 17:
Whan she among the neiper bairns was seen, At greedy-glad or warpling o' the green.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 180:
He's keen At ony warpling game upo' the green.

4. To stagger, to go in a zig-zag course, move with difficulty; also fig., to struggle through (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Rxb. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. I. 198:
And I maun hae ye hame, nae doubt, If ance-en ye could warpel throwe.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 254:
She dreided some herschip in the byous weather to her auld guidman as he cam warplin' an' fanklin' owre the muirs.