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.
Quotation dates: 1723-1727, 1825-1992
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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.
