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: 1716-1727, 1833, 1892-1939
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TOUL, n. Also toull, too(e)l, ¶tuel (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); toal (Gall. 1972). Sc. forms of Eng. towel, a cloth for drying (Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Abd. 1926 Dieth Bch. Dial.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein, Rxb. 1942 Zai 100). Gen.Sc., also in n.Eng. dial. Comb. toul-dance, a dance freq. performed at weddings by farm servants in which the dancers carried towels (Fif. 1957). [′tu(ə)l; Gall. ′toəl]Abd. 1716 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 1) II. 73:
A hand Toull of hardin.Sc. 1727 P. Walker Remark. Pass. 52:
He dried his Face and Hands with a Tool.Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy G. Chalmers 81:
Bring a tooel here as fast as ye can.Slk. 1892 W. M. Adamson Betty Blether 46:
Three dizen touls lyin' scattered through the hoose as black as coalpocks.Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie xii.:
A tooel as coorse as a carrot-grater.Wgt. 1939 J. McNeillie Wigtown Ploughman vi.:
Hae ye a toal an' some sape?
