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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ARLES, AIRLES, ERLES, Earles, Yirls, n. [ɑrlz Sc.; erlz, ɛrlz m.Sc., s.Sc., Uls.; ærlz + jɪ̢rlz s.Sc.]

1. (1) Payment as a token of engagement of services, or as the preliminary to the striking of a bargain. Most common modern meaning.Sc. 1708 Wodrow Analecta (Maitl. 1842) I. 131:
Folk that had received tokens and not communicat, and had given them back, had given back God's earles.Bnff.(D) 1917 E. S. Rae Private John M'Pherson, etc. (1918) 27:
“. . . Bide ye ahin the ploostilts, the war 'ill manage fine.” An' he shuved the shinin' arles intae the laddie's han'.Ags. 1982:
"Arles" is the name given to the shilling, now a 5p piece, that is given to each salmon fisher signing his "bargain" and is very much in use to this day - something like the 'King's Shilling' in by gone military days.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 43:
Says he, “This day I'se hae a bouse, I've hauf-a-croun o' arles.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Trad. of Edin. (1847) 97:
When men made bargains at the Cross, it was customary for them to go up to the Lady's Steps, and there consummate the negotiations by wetting thumbs, or paying arles.Arg. 1992:
When Ah wiz asked tae fee on again, ah got half-a-croon fae auld Gillies for ma erles.Lnk. 1887 A. Wardrop Midcauther Fair 11:
An' there's your airles — nae airles will I be awn (owing).Ayr. 1707 Arch. and Hist. Coll. Ayr and Wgt. (1884) IV. 235:
One fourteen shilling peice that the defender gave him of the arles of a gun quich gun the defender had noe right to.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
arles, erles a sum of money to seal a bargain.Gall. 1900 R. J. Muir The Mystery of Muncraig 83:
He fand a stout lassie there, and they 'greed about the wage, and he gie'd her the arles.Rxb.(D) 1917 Kelso Chron. (7 Sept.) 3/2:
“What's yer yirls (arles)?” “Airle money! The Deil's i' the wuman! There's nae airles now-a-days.”Uls. 1924 Northern Whig and Belfast Post (12 Jan.):
Arles, engagement money at a hiring fair.

(2) Special application to former mining conditions. Hist.Sc. c.1750 J. G. Graham Soc. Life 18th Cent. (1899) II. 266:
A thriftless collier . . . often sold the freedom of his son to the employer, who gave arles or earnest money to the father. . . . From that hour the “arled” child was recognised as bound for life to the pit.Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Sc. Mining Terms 6:
Arles, money given in former times to the colliers at the baptism of their children, as a token of the children being attached like their parents to the coal-work.

2. An earnest or foretaste of something more to come.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
As he had refused the devil's arles (for such was the offer of meat and drink), . . . he hoped . . . Satan could take little advantage.Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes (1892) lxxix.:
I'm thinkin' he winna gang far wrang again. He's gotten the arles (earnest) and he winna want the wages.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Sangs o' the Heatherland 21:
Wee fairies were joinin' their airt wi the sang, An' bringin' Spring's arles wi' laughter alang.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail iv.:
A receiving o' the erles of righteousness and peace, which passeth all understanding, and endureth for evermore.

3. One's deserts; in bad sense, a thrashing.Bnff.(D) 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 215:
A'll gee ye yir arles, my boy, gehn ye dinna haud yir ill tung.