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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

AWAL(D), AWALT, Awelled, Aiwal, Awart, Award(s), adj., adv. Adj. gen. as pred. See Aval(d), adj., n.   [′ɑ:wəlt, ′ɑ:wəl(d) Sc.; ′ɑ:(w)ul e.Dmf.; ′e:wəl Deeside, Uls.]

1. Of a sheep, or (less commonly) other animal: lying on its back and unable to rise.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 626:
Ditches . . . into which sheep may possibly fall and lie awalt or awkward.Sc. 1854 Notes and Q. Ser. i. IX. 209/1 (N.E.D.):
When fat sheep roll over on their backs and cannot get up of themselves they are said to be lying awkward, in some places awalt, and in others awart.Sc.(E) 1897 Ld. E. Hamilton Outlaws, etc. xi. 129:
It's awalt in the Ralston burn you'd hae found her huzling like an auld ewe.Sc. 1898 E.D.D.:
Award(s), adv. Sc. Nhb. Nhp. . . . Of an animal: “cast,” lying on its back unable to rise.Lnl. 1768 W. Wilkie Fables 122:
Mawkin . . . Clapt baith her feet on Partan's back, And turn'd him awald in a crack.Dmf. 1869 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 720:
A sheep is said to be awelled when cast, that is, lying helplessly on its back.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 166:
His sheep may mange, or take the rot, Or awald coup.Rxb. 1825 Jam.²:
Awalt sheep. . . . It especially denotes one that lies on its back.Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn. 2:
When an animal falls on its back, and cannot recover itself, it is said to have fallen “aiwal.”

2. Transferred to human beings: esp. in a state of intoxication or insensibility. Also fig.Abd.² 1932:
The fairmer's wifie fell aiwal and lay on the fleer in a dwam.Ayr. a.1796 (publ. 1803) Burns Meg o' the Mill iv.:
The groom gat sae fu' he fell awald beside it, And that's how Meg o' the Mill was bedded!s.Sc. 1825 Jam.² s.v. awald:
To fa' awalt . . . orig. applied to a sheep, hence to a person who is intoxicated.