Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BURBLE, Burrble, n.2, v. [bʌrbl]
1. n. A tangle; “anything in confusion. When a pirn of yarn in winding runs into disorder, it is then in a snurl or a burrble” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 104). Also fig. Known to Lnk.3 (for Lnk. and Dmf.), Kcb.9 1937.Gall. c.1870 M. M'L. Harper in Bards of Gall. (ed. Harper 1889) 163:
Tho' noo saxty simmers an' mair I hae seen, An' in web o' my life monie burbles hae been, Thae mem'ries o' young days hae aft had the po'er To lichten life's burden.Dmf. 1836 T. Carlyle in J. A. Froude Life of Carlyle (1884) I. 78:
Much that was a burble will begin to unravel itself.
Combs.: (1) burblebootch, a mess, a botch; (2) burble-headed, adj., “stupid, confused” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.2).(1)Sc. 1924 J. Innes Till a' the Seas xv.:
Well, John, I doot I made a burblebootch o't here. I think maybe I should hae tell't her blunt and plain.
2. v.
(1) To tangle (Lnk., Dmf. (per Lnk.3), Kcb.9 1937). Also ppl.adj. burbled, tangled, disordered, lit. and fig.Kcb. 1914 T.S.D.C. I.:
He catch't an eel an' it burblt a' his line.Dmf. 1883 J. W. Carlyle Letters (ed. Froude) I. 244:
His external life fallen into a horribly burbled state.Dmf. 1925 (per Mry.1):
Burbled wool = tangled wool: used by children and others when yarn is ravelled.
(2) “To mystify” (Dmf. 1922–1928 in Rymour Club Misc. III. 100).
[O.Sc. barbulȝe; barboulle. to besmear, disorder (D.O.S.T.), Fr. barbouiller, used fig. to mean confuse (Littré).]
