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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PICKLE, v.² Also pukel (Sh.).

1. tr. or intr. and absol. To peck (up) repeatedly and delicately; of persons: to eat in a sparing way, nibble (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Phrs.: to pickle in one's ain pock-neuk, to rely on one's own resources, be self-supporting, independent (Ib.). In 1910 quot. used erron., = to go one's own way, “stew in one's juice”; to pickle oot o' ae pock, of a number of persons: to share a common means of livelihood, to live together (Ib.). See also Pock.Sc. 1706 Short Survey Married Life 10:
If she be a Lusty Vigorous young one, all Cork over, it's a hazard . . . she'll . . . set you the high way to the back of November to pickle Bird-Seed.s.Sc. 1793 T. Scott Poems 325:
Robin Routh and Marion Mickle Wha baith contentetlie did pickle Out o' ae pocke.Sc. a.1800 Young Hunting in Child Ballads No. 68. C. xii.:
Come doon, come doon, my pretty parrot, An pickle wheat aff my glue.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxvi.:
Na, na, sir, we stand on our ain bottom — we pickle in our ain pock-neuk.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 147:
I'm forced to jouk, And pickle in the bachelor's bield, My ain pouk neuk.Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 156:
It's a' yin to me — let them pickle in their ain pock neuk.

2. With up: to pick up, gather, acquire in small amounts or at odd moments.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 56:
Jock had . . . pickl'd up some scrapes o' lair. Frae preachments an' life debonair.Lnk. 1818 A. Fordyce Country Wedding 18:
Stop, bride, stop! it's your ain cottage door, See that the bread and the cheese be ready. Quick, get a napkin, her bonnet spread o'er, Grush goes the dreaming-bread; pickl't up, lady!

3. To steal small articles, pilfer, indulge in petty theft (Fif. 1825 Jam.). The usual form of the proverb in quot. reads picking. Cf. Pick, v.¹, 2. Vbl.n. pukelin, petty theft (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).Sc. 1825 Jam.:
It occurs in the old Scots Proverb. “It's ill to be ca'd a thief, and aye found pickling”; i.e., it is a decisive proof against a man, if he is not only habit and repute a thief, but detected in many petty acts of theft.