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.
Quotation dates: <1700, 1700, 1773-1928
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GRUNTLE, n.1, v. Also gruntel, grunkle.
I. n. 1. The snout of a pig or other animal (Sc. 1818 Sawers; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 167; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1955). Also in n.Eng. dial. Ppl.adj. grunkled, snouted.s.Sc. 1824 J. Telfer Border Ballads 44:
And the stinkan brokke, wi' his lange howe loone, Shote up his gruntle to see.Slg. 1825 Jam.:
The gab and grunkle is a common phrase.Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 36:
The semi-devil [pig] presented its ominous grunkle full in his view.Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 14:
We hae dreed meikle skaith frae their lang, grunkled, ill-faured vratches.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie Poems 51:
Alang his pad the mowdie-worps Like sma' Assyrians lie . . . Sma' black tramorts wi' gruntles grey.
2. Hence applied contemptuously to the nose and mouth or face of a person. Rarely in pl. Also in phr. to thraw a gruntle, — one's gruntles, to make a wry face, to grimace. Cf. gruntle-thrawn below.Sc. a.1689 W. Cleland Poems (1697) 92:
He threw a gruntle, hands did fold.Ayr. 1786 Burns Sc. Drink xvii.:
May Gravels round his blather wrench, . . . Wha twists his gruntle wi' a glunch . . . Out owre a glass o' Whisky punch.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xxxiii.:
What's come o'er you, that ye're sitting here hanging your gruntel like a sow playing on a trump?Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 50:
Some Papists said it was the Deil: Na, na; it was some better chiel; I ken his grunkle unca weil.Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 89:
Gude-bye t' ye a', an' let's be gaun, The gude wife has her gruntles thrawn.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 79:
Dight your gruntle, scrape your bree Owre clarty hutts ye bear the gree.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 5:
In wi' your gruntle then, puir wheengin' saul, Lap up the ugsome aidle wi' the lave.
Hence gruntle-thrawn, adj., wry-faced (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 692).
3. A grunt, a grunting noise (Bnff.4 1927); “the sound made by infants, indicating satisfaction” (Sc. 1808 Jam.); the moan of a sick cow (Bnff. 1927). Also in Yks. dial.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 89:
Can Lintie's music be compar'd Wi' gruntles frae the City-guard?Ayr. 1786 Burns Halloween xix:
Till presently he hears a squeak, An' then a grane an' gruntle.
II. v. 1. To make a grunting or groaning noise (Sc. 1818 Sawers; Bnff.4 1927; Rxb. 1955), as in rapid swallowing. Also in Eng. (mainly n.) dial.Slg. 1818 W. Muir Poems 16:
He gruntling stood, an' swattl'd at it.Sc. 1824 Blackwood's Mag. XVI. 89:
Don't make a hoggish gruntling as you drink.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 55:
Sae what wi' gruntlin', what wi' squealin', The causey-stanes were maist set reelin'.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man xii.:
Nothing loath to get away from gruntling horror.
†2. To make a gurgling, cooing sound, as a child when contented (Sc. 1808 Jam.).
[Dim. or freq. form of Eng. grunt. O.Sc. has gruntil(l), gruntle, the snout, to grunt, from c.1500.]
