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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

ILE, n.¹, v. Cf. Eelie, n.¹, Uilie. [əil]

I. n. 1. Gen.(exc. s.)Sc. form of Eng. oil. See P.L.D. §§ 46, 105.2. Also in combs. with -cake, -skin, etc.Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 316:
He should leave the iles and keep to water-colours.Cai. 1872 M. Maclennan Peasant Life 183:
Ye maun hae maid awa' wi' the ile-cake!Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff 36:
Nae doot, Laird, you that's stiff rich will be a heavy shareholder in iles?Abd. 1914 J. Leatham Daavit 118:
It's my funcshin ti pooer ile on the trouble't waters.Gsw. 1947 H. W. Pryde 1st Bk. McFlannels i.:
If you ever see ony sign o' me sayin' Ah'll lay ilecloth again.Bch. 1949 W. R. Melvin Poems 37:
Blue ribbons on the guttin' cogs, An ileskins green an' pink. m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 15:
Thurs nae danger ae you openin the windae! That wid lit the cauld in an we'd hiv tae turn the heatin up! Oh, and by the way, while wur oan the subject...the ile's near finished. Lnk. 1997 Duncan Glen From Upland Man 8:
A lorry has been ordered
and the stables will be a gairage
hung owre wi the smell o ile and petrol
fumes. w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 56:
... while a bool in the mooth,
micht catch us a keek at oor ile.

Hence ilie, iley, adj., oily. Also used subst. as a shortened form of iliecoat, an oilskin worn by sailors (Bnff., Bwk. 1958). Comb. ilie water, a patch of smooth water with a choppy sea all round it (Mry. 1925).Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick vi.:
Ay, I ken them; rub your heid wi' an ily stick, an' cut your throat ahint your back.

Phr.: awa for ile, Finished, ruined. (Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Ayr. 1999:
Oh A've forgotten that. It's awa for ile. He's awa for ile noo, he's not up to it.

II. v. As in Eng.: to lubricate with oil. Gen.Sc.; to turn to oil.Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 14:
An' butter iles that's jist new kirn't. em.Sc.(a) 1991 Kate Armstrong in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 114:
The hoose door shoogles. She's iled it fer the skirl
O the girnin hinge, but it swings aye.

Phr.: †to oil one's lug, to make flattering speeches; to pay compliments.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie i.:
What for will ye be . . . oiling my lugs wi' your slippery tongue at that rate?