Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DRAIL, DRAL(L), v. and n. [dra(:)l, dräl (Jak.); drɛ:l (Marw.)]
1. v. To drag oneself along slowly; to dawdle, saunter (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), dral(l); Ork. 1929 Marw., drail; Ork.2 1949).
2. n. “A dawdler over work, a poor, incompetent sort of worker” (Ib.).
[Norw. dial. drala, to walk draggingly, to saunter, Sw. dial. drälla, to go slowly.]
