Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1818-1915
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DONAL', Donald, donnel, n. Dims. donlie, donley, donnie.
1. A Highlander (Cai.7 1940).Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxvii.:
As if I had never seen a Hielandman before, and kenn'd nae how to manage them. Nae man alive can cuitle up Donald better than mysell.Cai. 1891 D. Stephen Gleanings 89:
Andrew coolly answered, "Never mind, shir, it's only a Donley."Ags. 1827 J. M. Beatts Reminisc. (1882) 95:
For the sake o' the donnel and the bit shortbread.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xi.:
There's not supposed to be a gun in Badenoch since the Act was passed disarming Donald.
2. A certain measure of whisky, about half a gill (Mry.1 1925; Bnff.2, Abd. and Ags. correspondents 1940; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 243; Rnf. 1947 (per Abd.27), donnie); also applied to its container.Mry. 1872 W. H. L. Tester Poems 70:
Whan . . . yer prayin' for a donal — The thing ye canna get.Abd. 1895 J. Davidson Old Abdsh. Ministers 139–140:
When "double-tumblers" were going out, the single-glass tumbler came to be known as a "Donald," and the larger old-fashioned one as a "Donald Macdonald."Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie 70:
Gie me a donlie, an' I'll be the better able for a bicker o' yer hasty brose aince I hid a drap o' th' cratur doon ma throat.Edb. 1882 (3rd ed.) J. Smith Canty Jock 9:
But he had a "Donal" in his breast coat pocket forby.Lnk. 1869 (2nd ed.) E. Johnston Autobiog., etc. 128:
We'll gie ye a "Donald" some nicht, though we borrit.
†3. "The last small stack brought from the field to the corn-yard" (Per. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.).
4. The spotted goby, Gobius minutus (Abd. 1880–84 F. Day Fishes I. 166, donlie).
5. In comb. donal' blue, (1) whisky; cf. Blue, n., II. 3; (2) a jelly-fish (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 39).(1) ne.Sc. 1909 G. Greig Folk-Song lxxvii. 2:
My name is Donal' Blue, and ye ken me fu' weel, If ye deal canny wi' me, I'm a braw simple chiel.
