Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CAVIL, KAVL, Kavel, Kavvel, Kavvle, v. and n.
1. v. “To take a fish off the hook by means of a wooden stick with a notch on the lower end” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); 1866 Edm. Gl., cavil, kavvle; 1914 Angus Gl., kavvel).
2. n. “The hindmost space in the boat where the fishing-line is hauled over the roller fixed to the gunwale, and where the fish are taken off the hooks” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), kavl, kavel).Sh.(D) 1877 G. Stewart Sh. Fireside Tales (1892) 31:
Says he ta da boy dat sat ida cavil, says he, “boy, hae da fish-staff clair.”
3. Comb.: kavl-tree, kavel-, kavlin-, “cylindrical piece of wood with a notch on the lower end which, in fishing, is put into the mouth of a fish to extract the hook, esp. when it has been swallowed too far down” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).Sh.(D) 1899 J. Spence Sh. Folk-Lore 134:
His sköne, huggie-staff . . . and kavel-tree are at hand.Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Shet. Incidents and Tales 54:
The fish . . . were expeditiously unhooked by means of a short, notched stick known as the “kavlin-tree.”
