A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1560-1641
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Pikkill, -le, Pick(k)le, n.2 [e.m.E. and late ME. pekille (a 1440), pykyl (Prompt. Parv.), pikkyll (c 1450), pigell, pyccle, pickell, -le (16th c.), MDu. pekel(e, peeckel (a 1473 in Teuthonista), MLG. pēkel, LG., Du. pekel, EFris. pekel, pākel, mod. Germ. pōkel brine, pickle. Of obscure ulterior origin.] A salt liquor, as brine, in which fish, etc., was preserved; pickle. — 1560 Treasurer's Accounts XI. 32.
For twa gang of see watter and iij firlottis of grit salt to mak pickkle to the said thre lastis salmond 1579 Despauter (1579) 38.
Salsilago pikkill [1617 pickle] 1621 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs III. 121.
That thai haif causit pickill rin out of the saids barrellis for inputting of ane gritter number of fishes 1621–2 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 29.
Salt … to mak pikkle 1641 Acts V. 417/2.
That the … couperes … make the said sallmond barrelles of … whyte wood of sufficient tichtnes for conteyneing the pickle
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"Pikkill n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pikkill_n>
