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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

GELL, v.², n.¹ Also g(j)el(l) (I.Sc.), gale, †gail. [gɛl, ge(:)l, gjɛl]

I. v. 1. Of unseasoned wood: to split or crack in drying, gen. by exposure to the heat of the sun (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr., Rxb. 1825 Jam., gail, gale, ‡1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151, 1929 Marw., gel; Sh.¹⁰, Kcb.¹⁰, Dmf. 1954). Gen. found as ppl.adj. Rarely tr. to cause to split or crack.Sc. 1803 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 639:
He e'ed his looms into the brink, A' gail'd an' gyzzen'd.Edb. 1881 Mod. Sc. Poets III. 399:
The silvery saugh, though auld and gell'd, Sends oot a flourish green.Abd. 1892 J. Smith Hame-spun Rhymes 68:
Wi' nane to brak, nor yet to gale, His auld bit cart.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
De planks is a' geld, the planks are full of cracks.w.Dmf.⁷ 1929:
Any wooden vessel like a washing tub, dolly tub or bucket, so dry from want of usage that it leaks, is called gelled.

2. Of the skin: to chap, cut.Ayr. 1870 J. K. Hunter Life Studies 29:
To keep their legs frae hacking — what refinement calls chapping or gelling.

II. n. A crack or chink, gen. in wood (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 220; Ayr., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., gjell; ‡ne.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh.¹⁰, Clc. “common esp. among coopers”, Kcb.¹⁰, Dmf. 1954); “a rent or crack in a rock or plank of wood” (Kcb.⁴ 1900).Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 41:
I stevellit backe, and lowten downe, set mai nebb to ane gell in the dor.Abd. 1875 J. Peter Peat Mosses Buchan 12:
[A dry peat bed is] subject to cracks, or “gales” as they are called.