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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DREEL, n.² and v.² I. n. Sc. form of Eng. drill, a furrow (Sh., Ork., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Arg., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s).Fif. 1985 Christopher Rush A Twelvemonth and a Day 88:
In broad afternoon they dug up every dreel of potatoes planted by Primary Four, pelting the teachers with clods when they tried to save the field from spoliation.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 48:
He's rackle-handed
and I feel still his brosie glasp hauddin ticht
my bairnlie fingers. He glowres, his broon een
drumlie, hachers, grumphs: "It's nae richt"
as the snortlin tractor stotters doon the dreels.Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 39:
'Run, lassies, and get a dreel before they are all taken.'Ork. 1995 Orcadian 19 Oct 17:
We planted a great variety in those days each in its own portion of dreel; these became fewer in later years.

I. Phr. oot o one's dreel, Out of one's routine.ne.Sc. 2005:
If I don't get ma first cup o tea I'm oot o ma dreel aa day.Abd. 2005:
I'm aye oot o ma dreel wi is affa flu.

I. Phr. up the wrang dreel, Mistaken; on the wrong road (Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s).Ags. 1990s:
Ee's up the wrang dreel: He's taken the wrong way.

II. v. To make seed furrows in.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 17:
The Mowatt faimly bedd twa mile up Glen Dubh, heid o a sma brae luikin ower thon sonsie wee burn that raged fite wi watter in winter, bit in spring wis green wi treelipin, sappy stringles o girse at its sides. The Mowatts' tattie an barley parks lay aroon, smeeth's a maiden's breists, weel-plooed an dreeled, an caimbed clean o iviry steen.

II. Deriv. dreeler, A double-moulded plough.Abd. 1984 David Kerr Cameron Cornkister Days 153:
Those early drills had to be made with the plough, a two-way task, since the dreeler, the double-mouldboard plough, had not been devised.