We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BETTLE, n. A stroke, a blow.Abd.(D) 1805 J. Skinner Christmas Ba'ing (Jam.):
A chiel came wi' a feugh, Box'd him on the a — e with a bald bettle, Till a' the hindlings leugh At him that day.

[The stanza from which these lines are taken does not occur in the Christmas Ba'ing in the 1809 ed. of Skinner's Poems. It is found in the version of the Ba'ing in the Caled. Mag. 1788, but brattle takes the place of bettle. Bettle is prob. derived from the v. beat, of which shortened forms occur in Bet(t), v.1, q.v., and Bittle, n.1]

2765

snd