Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
POWL, n., v.1 Also poul (Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Sc. Rhymes 30); poall, poll. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. pole (Ayr. 1863 J. Manson Lyrics 323; Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 27; Wgt. 1939 J. McNeillie Wigtown Ploughman ix.). Also in Eng. dial.
I. n. 1. As in Eng., in Sc. specif. applied to a walking stick, a stilt, crutch (Cai. 1903 E.D.D., ‡Cai. 1966). Comb. poll-staff, id.Per. 1881 D. MacAra Crieff 103:
Maggie, when dressed in her clean sooback, blue duffle puipp, and her father's poll-staff in her hand, looked a strapping quean.
2. transf. "Bare legs and feet" (Ork. 1973 Orcadian (8 July)).
II. v. 1. As in Eng., to furnish with poles. Specif. in Sc. mining usage: “to build road sides in longwall workings with old propwood and the debris from the working where the latter is soft” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 52). Cf. Laft, v.
2. refl. To propel oneself with the aid of a crutch (Kcb. 1966); hence, by extension, intr. to walk at a good steady pace, to bowl along (Ayr., Gall. 1966), freq. with on.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of the Lairds iv.:
[He] powled himsel awa wi' his stilt.Ayr. 1896 Gl. to Galt Provost (Meldrum) II. 278:
Never used in the present tense, “I powl”. But Ayrshire people say, “I saw him powling alang the road,” i.e. going rapidly, hurrying.Bte. 1922 J. Sillars McBrides vi.:
I powled on after Dan, thinking shame of my coward heart.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 11:
The buirdly Borderer snodged on a guid yin, an on A poalled ahint um at the same jock-trot!
