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.
Quotation dates: 1820-1830, 1894
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†STICKLE, n.1 Also stikkle. A little stick; specif. one of the small spars of wood laid across the joists of a mill-kiln to form a support for the straw or cloth on which the grain was spread to be dried.Mry. 1820 Edb. Ev. Courant (28 Dec.):
One of the old fashioned kilns, in which stickles and hair cloth are used in place of brick or metal.Sc. 1830 Scott Demonology ix.:
That they be burned with our will, Like any stikkle in a kiln.Abd. 1894 Trans. Bch. Field Club III. 125:
Across these [kiln kebbars] were laid, somewhat close to each other, pieces of wood, often small fir-trees split in two by an axe. These had the name of “stickles”.
