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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GONIEL, -AL, n. Also †gonyel, †gonyill. [Rxb., Dmf. ′gɔnjəl; ′gɔniəl; Bwk. go:nl]

1. A fool (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Dmf. 1954); “a loud-spoken, empty-headed person” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb.⁴ 1954).s.Sc. 1858 Wilson's Tales of the Borders XVII. 172:
Son as ye are o' mine, ye're a poor simple goniel.Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Confessional 187:
An' gomerils, gonyels, guffs, gulls, geese, an' gowks, An' slee Holy Willies, wi' deep devout granes.Slk. 1876 J. Dalgleish Walter Wathershanks (1893) 44:
What the world div 'e mean b' that, ye gonyill?Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (12 April) 4:
Twae big ghost things movin abune the yett on the side o' the road. . . . D'ye no' see them, ye donnert gonial?

2. A big, clumsily-built person (Rxb. 1825 Jam., gonyel, 1923 Watson W.-B.).

3. An apprentice (mason, or gardener) (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).

4. Braxy mutton (Rxb. 1887 Fishing Gazette (2 July) 3, 1923 Watson W.B.); "used to denote a sheep that is found dead, and much decayed. According to ancient established custom in the Cheviot district, if the carcase, when held up by the hinder feet, and roughly shaken, hangs together, it is considered as the property of the store-farmer, but if it fall to pieces, it is adjudged as a perquisite belonging to the shepherd" (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 70).  Also in phr. the gonial blast (e.Dmf. 1894 J. Cunningham Broomieburn xi., Note), see quots.Dmf. 1873 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 185:
The great storm which has ever since been remembered as the "Gonial Blast", a name derived from the number of sheep which perished.e.Dmf. 1912 J. & R. Hyslop Langholm 850:
“The gonial blast”. This storm was so named because of the extraordinary number of sheep that perished, “gonial,” or “goniel,” being a term applied to the mutton of sheep found dead, from which the smoked mutton-hams are got. The storm began on 23rd January, 1794, and continued several days.