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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ADDLE, ADDIL, AIDLE, ADLE, n., adj., v. [ɑdl, edl] The adj. has the same meanings in Sc. as in Mod.St.Eng. of rotten, or unfertile, applied to eggs, and muddled, unsound, applied to brains. The v. also (tr. and intr.) may have the St.Eng. meanings, to make, or grow, addle (in the above adj. senses), applied to eggs or brains.

1. n.

(1) Foul and putrid water, ditch water, byre wash, liquid manure. Also fig. m.Sc. 1995 William Neill in Sheena Blackhall Lament for the Raj 26:
Thay bood tae pit him doun for yon brave ettle,
the sleikit gentrie that just cudna thole
an upstairt peasant pyntin oot the truith,
haudin the aidle o Scotland ablo their nebs.Ayr. 1789 Burns Kirk's Alarm vi.:
Then lug out your ladle, deal brimstone like adle, And roar every note o' the damn'd.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 99:
The poor brute down the brae did dadle To Lawrie-lands, out thro' the adle.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
aidle ooze, slime.Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott Vern. of Mid-Nithsdale, Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 16:
I'll gie they cabbage a drap o' addil the nicht.

(2) The urine of black cattle.Rnf. 1808 Jam.

2. v. To water the roots of plants with the urine of cattle.Rnf. 1808 Jam.

3. Compounds. Adle-dub, aidle-hole, aidle-pool, aidil puil, a hole full of foul, putrid liquid, oftcn that issuing from a cowhouse or dunghill.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Sc. Proverbs 76:
He kens the loan frae the crown o' the causey, as weel as the duck does the midden-hole frae the adle-dub.Sc.(E) 1926 H. McDiarmid Penny Wheep 51:
The aidle-pool is a glory o' gowd.Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 41:
The-day, A peyed a veisit ti Carntyne
an fylt ma fuit in cowkit pudden an chips,
serred bi sum brither chiel yestrein amang
the aidil puils that decorates the closs.Cld. 1825 Jam.²:
An addle dub, a filthy pool.Rxb. 1805 A. Scott Poems 24:
Wi' heart as still's a standin-pool, Or aidle dub.