Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DEL, v. and int.
1. v. Used in mild imprecations = dash, damn. Ppl.adj. del'd; also found in phrs. by del'd, dash! del'd a frichts, by no means! (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Ib.:
“Del ee!” “Del the thing!” “The del'd thing burstit.”
2. int. Either used alone or in phr. by del = dash! (Ib.).
[Phs. a variant form of Eng. dial. dall, id., used euphemistically for damn.]
