Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GAIVALESS, Gaivalis, adj. Also gavellous, gaveless; gev(a)lo(u)s (Jak.); gjevvalous (Angus); gevlet (Jak.). [′gev(ə)ləs, ′g(j)ɛv-]
1. Drawling in speech (Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151); “of movements of the mouth, speech: mumbling; indistinct; lisping” (Jak., gevlet).Ork. 1903 A. Goodfellow Birsay Ch. Hist. 196:
“Gavellous” preaching was the expression used by an old woman in Birsay to describe the old style of preaching so common in the moderate days. This adjective “gavellous” is not easily explained. but is quite different from garrulous.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
A gevlet way o' speakin'.
2. Awkward, clumsy, careless, inefficient (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., gaivalis, 1900 E.D.D., gaveless, 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151, gaivalis, 1929 Marw., gaivaless); powerless, limp; dull, listless (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), gevlo(u)s).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
A muckle gevlos slu (fellow).Ork. 1909 Old-Lore Misc. II. iii. 131:
There was once a miller of this mill called Johnnie Sinclair, a gavellous body.Ork.1 1928:
The wife wis a gaivalis auld body.
