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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡KIGGLE-CAGGLE, v.comb., n. Also -kaggle (Sc. 1890 J. Kerr Hist. Curling 290). In Curling:

I. v. To cause the stone to make a succession of zig-zag movements or inwicks up a port or space between curling stones, to reach a certain object (Sc. 1902 E.D.D.; Fif. 1960). Also fig. Hence kiggle-caggler, a shot which travels in this way.Dmb. 1835 in D. MacLeod Past Worthies (1894) 87:
I am to take all the wicks or kittle shots, and kiggle-kaggle to and fro, and that to a hair's breadth.Abd. 1886 Banffshire Jnl. (12 Jan.) 3:
Mark aye weel the kittle-shot, And kiggle caggle to the spot.Sc. 1891–2 Royal Caled. Curling Club Annual 422:
A' doors are the same To a curler when he's kiggle-cagglin' hame.Sc. 1911 B. Smith “Shilling” Curler 19:
This is the art of imparting a rocking motion to the stone so that it never settles on its sole, and travels freely through the water [on thawing ice]. Such a shot is sufficiently described by its curious name of a “Kiggle-caggler.”

II. n. A zig-zag movement of a curling-stone.Sc. 1914 J. G. Grant Complete Curler 72:
His lordship has, in delivering the stone, “kettled” it, that is, imparted to it the motion known as the “kiggle-kaggle”.