Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MANGREL, n. Also mangerrel; ¶manglar. Sc. form and usages of Eng. mongrel, a cross-bred animal (Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 138). [′mɑŋrəl]
1. A term of contempt for a human being.Ags. 1857 A. Douglas Ferryden 85:
Ye haena the speerit o' ony man, nor woman nether, 'it ever I kent, an' gif I was ye, I wid . . . an' mak a grite mangerrel o' mysel'.
2. A thing of intermediate or medium size, specif.: (1) in the bonnet-making trade: a bonnet of intermediate size; (2) a medium-sized fish.(1) Ags. 1729 A. J. Warden Burgh Laws Dundee (1872) 457:
David Whyt hath agreed with Georg Iniess from Candlemas, 1729, to Candlemas, 1730; his weekly work is 18 fouorth sys working and 28 dighten, 20 mangrels working and 20 dighton, 22 third sys working and 21 dighton.Ags. 1736 Ib. 458:
His work being two dozen of thred seies wefen and dresen on, and twentie Manglars working and dresen, and eghtin fourt sies working and drisen.(2) Abd. 1881 J. W. Ritchie Geordie Tough's Squeel (1931) 4:
The but wis fu' o' herrin' nets . . . An' tippens made tae busk a line For mangrel, sma', an' ilka kin'.
