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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

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).