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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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WAUCHLE, v., n. Also wauchel, -ill, †-ile, waughle, wochle, wauckle, wachel; wachle (Arg. 1992); waichle, waighle. [wɑxl, wǫxl; †weçl]

I. v. 1. intr. and absol. To walk or make one's way laboriously or with difficulty, to shamble, to walk in a clumsy, ungainly way, to waddle, stagger, stumble with fatigue, etc. (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 467; Cld. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 208; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Banff. 211, wochle; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 193; I., n., m.Sc. 1973); to struggle to one's feet. Ppl.adj. wauchlin, shambling; fig. weak and laboured in one's movements (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211, wochlin).Slk. 1827 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) xviii.:
[He] left poor Will o' Phaup to come waughling up ahint him like a singit cur.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Waugh ix.:
His ankle was greater than my brans. It was really a pain to see the worthy man waighling about.Rnf. 1863 J. Nicholson Kilwuddie 113:
When at len'th she wauchels up, her claes she hudders on.Per. 1881 R. Ford Readings 35:
[He] wauchill'd an' trauchill'd thro' dub an' thro' mire.Ags. 1892 Arbroath Guide (13 Feb.) 3:
I tried to wauchel up frae the floor.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 428:
[The mermaid] slippit oot, an wachel't doon tae the burn an lap in.Lth. 1924 A. Dodds Poppies in Corn 9:
It was wae to see her wauchle, and her heid hing dowie doon.Gsw. 1953 Bulletin (6 March) 4:
If you swell him up to 10ft. high, with all the other dimensions to suit, and with a solid carcase to boot, he'll hardly be able to wauchle.Bnff. 1967 Banffshire Jnl. (20 July) 8:
Arm in arm with his girl he wachled off into West Church Street.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 40:
Syne up he sprauchles an' wauchles owre
tae the pub door an' sweys a moment
an' craiks: "Mind me noo," wi near a glowre
i the mochie een, "Mind me, tak tent."

2. In extended or fig. usages, with advs. and preps.: (1) intr. to plod on amid difficulties (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211; Cai., ne., m.Sc. 1973), to struggle with an adverse situation or task, to make slow or ineffectual progress (Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 193; ne.Sc. 1973). Ppl.adj. wauchlin, footling, feckless, lackadaisical.m.Sc. 1838 A. Rodger Poems 52:
Yes — lang may the soncy gudeman o' the "Herald," Wi' Jamie M'Nab, wauchle on through this warld.Inv. 1865 J. Horne Poems 33:
Baith coof and coxcomb may wauchle thegither.Dmf. 1887 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) X. 337:
I was sair forfouchen wi' Lindley Murray's laws, Yet I wauchled thro' them a' at last.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 33:
The faither o' this feckless, wauchlin loon, Was sic a workin body.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 82:
The parsons wauchlin an' speelin the pad That is strett an' nerra.Ags. 1952 Forfar Dispatch (21 Aug.):
Ye've tae wauchle awa wi forms, passports visas.

(2) rarely tr.: to last out (a period of time) in a weary listless manner; to make (one's way) with difficulty (Ork., Ags. 1973).Edb. 1791 Edb. Ev. Courant (26 Sept.):
The youngsters wauchle out the day, An' rax and grane, tho' little say.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie i.:
Just waughle your way to the byre the best way ye can.

3. tr. To puzzle, perplex. Ppl.adj. wauchled, perplexed, bewildered, confused, muddle-headed (Ags. 1973).Lnk. 1825 Jam.:
That question wauchlit him.Ayr. 1927 J. Carruthers A Man Beset i. i., ii.:
Innerleven is that fyky aboot his kye, he wad wauchle the de'il himsel. . . . I'm wauchled to ken what I'm to dae.m.Lth. 1972 M. Jamieson Old Wife 44:
A guid natured wauchled crater.

4. tr. To fatigue, tire.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 79:
Sair wauchled the hizzies were or they gat hame.Lnk. 1825 Jam.:
The road wauchlit him gay and sair.

II. n. 1. A struggle, laborious effort (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags., Wgt. 1973); a staggering, ungainly movement, a wobble (Sc. 1887 Jam.; Fif., Lth., Lnk. 1973). Also fig.Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 46:
But, now he sleeps aneath the kairn, Tir'd o' this weary wauchle.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211:
She hid a sair wochle through the snaw wee hir bairn.Edb. 1892 J. W. McLaren Scots Poems 111:
But up at last, a' owre wi' sweat, thro' mony a thrawsome wauchle.Ayr. 1895 J. Walker Old Kilmarnock 13:
When he rose in the saddle, it was with a painful kind of wauchle.Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae xvii.:
Deil o' me if he's ever off the wauchle.Sc. 1924 Sc. Recitations (Harley) 152:
I've been that thrang a' day. Thursday's aye a wauchle wi' me.Abd. 1950:
Mony a weary wauchle hid he or he got trauchelt hame.

2. A weak, laborious person, a drudge (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211; Abd. 1973).