Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HAREBELL, n. The round-leaved bell-flower, Campanula rotundifolia, the bluebell of Scotland, see Bluebell. Gen.Sc. Also in n.Eng. dial. In Eng. the word was orig. applied to the wild hyacinth, Scilla non scripta, but the Sc. meaning is now also current. Mostly poet.Sc. 1767 W. Mickle Poet. Wks. (1806) 150:
On Desmond's mouldering turrets slowly shake The trembling rie-grass and the hare-bell blue.Ayr. 1790 Burns Elegy M. Henderson v.:
Mourn, little harebells o'er the lea.Sc. 1810 Scott L. of Lake i. xviii.:
E'en the slight hare-bell raised its head, Elastic from her airy tread.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 214:
An' mony a green-wood cluster grows, An' hare-bells bloomin' bonnie, O.Abd. 1853 W. Cadenhead Flights 111:
The daisy white and harebells blue.Bwk. 1879 W. Chisholm Poems 35:
The hinmaist hare-bell rings a knell For faded comrades, ance sae blue.Per. 1889 T. Edwards Strathearn Lyrics 50:
The modest primrose set in green, And bonnie harebell blue.wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 29:
The
day was warm and balmy, here and there clumps of gowans splashed the
green turf and banks of harebell fluttered mist-blue against the kirk
wall.
