Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1704-1728, 1802-1825, 1879-2000
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PURL, n., v. Also purle, purel; parl; porl; pirl; perl, pearl-.
I. n. 1. One of the little balls of dung excreted by such animals as sheep, rabbits and mice (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 175, 1908 Jak. (1928), parl, porl, pirl, perl; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw., pirl). Gen.Sc.; "dried cow-dung used for fuel" (Fif., Slk. 1825 Jam.). Dims. pirlag (Ork., Cai. 1967), purlack (Per. 1967). Hence purlockie, covered with dung, of a sheep's hindquarters (Id.).Sc. 1704 J. Moncrief Poor Man's Physician (1731) 241:
Steep an Handful of Sheeps Purles in a large Mutchkin of Carduus-water.Hdg. 1728 J. Kerr Golf-Bk. E.Lth. (1896) 41:
They ordain . . . that non gather the purels of the common green to prejudg the growing of the grass.Sc. 1803 Prize Essays Highl. Soc. 218:
The dung of the animal is excreted in small quantities, and in the form of small hard purls, which are generally black and foetid.Lth. 1825 Jam.:
The auld woman was gathering horse-purls. She dries them on her window-sole, and uses them for lunts, or even to mend her little fire.Ags. 1879 A. Fenton Forfar Poets 141:
An' shairny purls deckt the skirt Just like the hips o' Doddy, O.Ork. 1910 Old-Lore Misc. III. iv. 209:
When my father examined my pockets they were full of sheep pirlags and horse dung.Per.1 1950:
Sheep purls is guid for the rhubarb.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 29:
'Tabacca's low,' his uncle had said. 'Awa up on the hill, James, and fetch us mair rabbit purls. Mind that they're no full dried oot, but crotlie - like this, see.' He handed him a twist of brown leaf, breaking it up with his fingers.
2. Fig. "a despicable person" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).
II. v. 1. To void excrement (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1967); vbl.n. purlin, pirlin, pearlin, a ball of horse manure, freq. dried and used for fuel (Sh. 1967, pirlin).Peb. 1802 C. Findlater Agric. Peb. 399:
This disease may be prevented by . . . moving the animals from their layers early in the morning, making them walk about for some time, in order to encourage them to pass their urine and purl.Ork. 1909 Old-Lore Misc. II. iii. 131:
It was nought but a "wizened horse pearlin."
2. To collect cow-dung for fuel, to gather purls (Fif., Slk. 1825 Jam.).
[Phs. orig. a variant of pearl. Cf. Pearl, n.2]
