Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GELL, n.2, v.3 Also †gel. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. gale. [gɛl]
I. n. 1. (1) As in Eng., a strong wind (Cai., Abd. 1954).Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 22:
O man, my haill crap's ready for the hook, An' did a gell but rise, a' me an' mine Micht dicht our nebs an' tak' the paupers' flicht.Per. 1907 Trans. Per. Soc. Nat. Science 184:
Gaun through amo' th' bunkers efter a gel o' wind.Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 160:
Oontill yon gell shü ran intill Dat drave her far ta lee.Arg. 1992:
Well, they wir fishin away by Ballantrae there, an the snow an a wile gell of win deest ...
(2) fig. A state of spiritual inspiration or uplift, an afflatus. Now arch.Sc. 1723 R. Wodrow Analecta (1843) III. (M.C.) 45:
He had a great gale given him that day, to the observation of many.Sc. 1727 P. Walker Remark. Passages 150:
Above all Places in Scotland, he found the greatest Gale upon his Spirit upon the Water of Clide.Arg. 1912 N. Munro Ayrsh. Idylls 60:
He prayed with a great gale of the spirit as he stood beside the bed.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood vii.:
Ye had a gale on your spirit this day, Mr Sempill.
(3) A state of excitement from anger, anxiety or joy (Bnff.2 1927; Abd.8, Ags.1 1916). Found only in phrs. with in.Fif. 1825 Jam.:
In great gell, in great glee, in high spirits.Ags. 1894 “F. Mackenzie” Glenbruar vii.:
She wad be just like yoursel', Effie . . . when she saw ane o' her half-croons missin' . . . Ye wad be in a bonny gale.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 15:
An' a' the efterins o' his ploy Had santit in a gale o ' joy.Abd.15 1928:
She wis in a gey gell aboot her loonie.
†2. A shout, roar (Cld. 1880 Jam.).
3. A brawl, squabble, row (Ayr. 1954).Ayr. 1843 J. Stirrat Poems (1861) 32:
Tho' I had stapp't a burning coal, In loaded cannon's mozing hole, . . . I cou'dna rais'd sae hett a gell.Rnf. 1875 D. Picken Poems 58:
Shifting their places caused many a gell, Wi' the wives and the weans around Storie Street Well.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 182:
Nae farrer gaen back than yestreen We bred owre the weans a bit gel.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables xi.:
Twa cairters . . . were haein' a gell aboot something as we gaed bye.w.Sc. 1929 R. Crawford Quiet Fields 33:
Het blude brocht him mony a gell, An' mony habbles had he, syne.
4. A romp, spree, merry-making; a drinking-bout. Phr. on the gell, on the spree (Upp. Lnk. 1825 Jam.).Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. 78:
Jamie too, took what he called “a Gell”, but two days slockened him.Rnf. 1861 J. Barr Poems 6:
Cash and credit baith are gane, Wi' six weeks o' the gell.Gsw. 1868 J. Young Poems 173:
Our hero, tho' he liked a glass, And whiles gade on the gell, Nae drucken ragamuffin was.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 222:
He wad . . . asked him [the schoolmaster] tae skyle the schule tae him, juist tae hae a bit gell wi' the weans.Hdg. 1896 J. Lumsden Battle of Dunbar 233:
Thy auld dad goes on the “gell”.
†II. v. 1. To bawl, to yell, to sing raucously (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Cld. 1880 Jam.).Bnff. 1869 W. Knight Auld Yule 134:
Like pettit weans, they girn an' gell, An' never hae a sair ava.Ayr. 1875 A. L. Orr Poems 20:
There's no a month gangs by but that you're gelling, Continually aboot your siller yelling.
2. To brawl, to scold (Cld. 1880 Jam.).Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 67:
She was for a constancy rippiting and gelling with her neebors.
