Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†SPATRIL, n. Also spatrel.
1. A gaiter or spat (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.).
2. A musical note, esp. as written on a score (Rxb. 1825 Jam.). Now only arch.Rxb. 1805 A. Scott Poems 22:
Thy flats, and sharps, and rests, and nat'rals, Wi' figures, dots, and mystic spatrils.s.Sc. 1925 H. M'Diarmid Sangschaw 13:
Syne i' the lift Byous spatrils you'll mak'.Sc. 1935 W. Soutar Poems in Scots 30:
What spatrels rin Out on the four wings o' the win!Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 30:
I ken they'll no, nor will their be a horn
glorious wi hairt-heezin spatrils upsteir
or e'en the deid wad pairt oceans tae hear.
