Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
STAVEL, v., n. Also stayvel, stevel, stivel (Sc. 1887 Jam.), and irreg. steevel, stibble. [stevl]
I. v. To walk in a halting, uncertain manner, to stumble, blunder on (Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 41; Sc. 1825 Jam.; Kcb. 1900; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.: Fif. 1971). Also in n.Eng. dial.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 130:
Mang Russian dales where winter girns, Did Bonnie rashly stevel.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms lxxxii. 5:
I' the mirk, they gang stevlin on.Dmf. 1873 A. C. Gibson Folk Speech Cmb. 117:
I, darklin', stayvelt owre the bent, An' fan' the cot, but ither guidin'.Ags. 1888 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XI. 213:
Fouk will see me stibblin' hame.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 19:
[He], wi' the fley, a stoiter gaed An' narhan' steevelt i' the lade.
II. n. 1. A stumble (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971).Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 164:
Wi' mony a stoit an' stevel She rais'd a trot.
2. A hard blow that causes one to stagger (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971).
[Variant, with alternative freq. suff., of Staver, q.v.]
