Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SCRIBBLE, v. Also scrible, scroble, scrub(b)le. To card or tease wool mechanically in preparation for spinning. Now also in Eng. usage but recorded first in Sc. Vbl.n. scribbling. Hence scribbler, a workman who cards wool. Comb. scribble-dick, a wool-carding machine. See Dick, n.3Sc. 1701–3 Rec. Sc. Cloth Manuf. (S.H.S.) 225, 345:
The 3 scriblers that sometyme runn away and are entertained at Hamilton and Glasgow. . . . The makeing of broad cloath and all the parts thereof, from the fleece to the chope such as scribling dyeing mixing burling etc.Ags. 1711 A. J. Warden Burgh Laws Dundee (1872) 569:
He that shall be seen working at any part of the Dyer Trade (except “scrobling”) without his apron on shall pay two pence.Slk. c.1750 R. Hall Hist. Galashiels (1898) 300:
Another primitive method of carding the wool was by means of what was termed a “Scribble Dick”.Abd. 1763 Abd. Journal (14 Feb.):
Two Horses for Scrubling with, two pair of Scrubling Cards.Sc. 1776 A. Smith Wealth Nations i. i. § 1:
The wool-comber, the dyer, the scribbler.Abd. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XIX. 207:
In the year 1789, a water-mill was first erected near Aberdeen, with machinery for teasing, scrubbling, carding, and rowing of wool.
