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.
Quotation dates: 1778-1840, 1925
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SPRITTLE, v., adj. Also spritle; spruttle, and met. forms spurtle, -el. [sprɪtl, spʌrtl]
I. v. To give a speckled or spotted appearance to, gen. in ppl.adj. sprit(t)led, -et, spurtled, -it, speckled, spotted, variegated (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. Gl., spruttl'd; Rxb. 1825 Jam., spurtlit, 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971, spurtled); freckled.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 35:
I not send you my guid sprittled hen?Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 164:
Mild blue spritl'd crawflow'r, or wild woodland lily.Ayr. 1819 Ayrshire Miscellany VII. 32:
Red spritled gowans.Slk. 1840 R. Hall Galashiels (1898) 456:
If the boy specially wanted was freckled, the order was given, 'Bring up the tawse, spurtled face.'Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 7:
The sunny blinks, keekin throwe atween the leafs, spurtelt the road wui greimeens o licht.
II. adj. Mottled, multi-coloured.Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XV. 86:
A small sheep, with flecked or sprittle face and legs.
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"Sprittle v., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sprittle>
