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.
GUMPLE, v., n.1 Also grumple- (Sc. 1862 A. Hislop Proverbs 116). [′gʌmpəl]
I. v. To be in a bad humour, to sulk.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 71:
He's gane aboot a' day gumplin', an' nae a teet (word)'s come oot o's hehd.
II. n.pl. A fit of ill-humour, the sulks.Sc. 1806 Caled. Mus. Repository 76:
Tho' Cameron's, braw lads! took the gumples, An' wadna own Geordie ava.
Comb.: gumple-face, a sulky or dejected face, in phr. to tak the gumple-face, to become ill-humoured; hence (1) gumple-fac(e)d, having a puckered or dejected face, chap-fallen (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff.7 1927); (2) gumple-foisted, in an ill-humour, huffed.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 124:
I think you hae taen the gumple-face.(1) Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 33:
And in that uglie tun stood . . . Greetin' and gumple-faced, a laird.Ib. 206:
Astonay'd, gumple-fac'd, aghast.(2) Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet vii.:
I canna afford to lose my sneeshing for a' that ye are gumple-foisted wi' me.
