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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

EARL O' HELL, n.phr. A soubriquet applied prob. originally to the Devil and c.1780 to a historical personage as in quot. below (Cai., Bnff., Ags., Fif., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s). See also Yerl.Rxb. 1817 Blackwood's Mag. (May) 161:
This bold rebel was the leader of an inferior tribe [of Yetholm gipsies], and the immediate successor of another doughty chief, usually known by the appropriate title of the Earl of Hell.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 76:
... far Gillanders the warlock drappit tippence inno the watter frae his hip pooch ae nicht as he flew hame frae a tryst wi the Earl o Hell. em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 11:
Syne oot frae his foul caverns crawls
The Earl o Hell an his angel pack,
Sair trauchelt by the muckle cheens
He hauls ahint his back.

Hence phr. (1) as black as the Earl o' Hell's waistcoat, (a) pitch black (wm.Sc.¹ 1900; Rnf. 1949 (per Abd.²⁷), Cai., Bnff., Ags., Fif., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s); (b) Very dirty. (Bnff., Ags. 2000s). (2) as filthy as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat, = (1) (b) (Bnff., Ags. 2000s).
(1) (b)ne.Sc. 1958 Jessie Kesson The White Bird Passes (1987) 68:
"... And give your nose a good blow. And not sniff, sniff, sniff into your bowl all the time. And come here till I give your face a dicht. It always gets as black as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat."Sc. 1996 Independent 8 Jun 32:
When she heard this, Minnie's eyes were opened. She saw into the old Witch's heart, and it was as black as the Earl o' Hell's waistcoat.(2)
m.Sc. 1993 Herald 23 Sep 14:
"My God, yur mockit, mockit, the fulthiest laddie I've ever seen," she would shriek, as she roughly rearranged the tousled ginger carpet above a face as filthy as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat.