Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHINGLE, n. Sc. form of St.Eng. shingle, coarse gravel, pebbly beach, used collectively in sing. and in pl. as in St.Eng. Known to Bnff.² and Abd. correspondents (1940). [tʃɪŋl, ʃɪŋl]Bnff. 1701 in W. Cramond Annals of Banff (1891–1893) II. 215 Foot-note:
Whenever any speat comes [this] occasions the bringing down of so much chingle and sand that it is lyke to render the said harbour useless.ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 17:
This is a bare, treeless country, often rising into hills of sand and chingle, but trees do grow in it, as may be seen in the woods of Menie, Balmedie and Foveran.Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
Sawna ye nae appearance o' the fishers gettin' the muckle boats hurl't doon to the water aff o' the chingle, or the nets rankit oot?Abd. 1936 (per Bnff.¹²):
On the road tae Cruden Bay ye'll see some chingle-holes — holes faur they dig oot the chingles. Some fowk ca' them gravel.

Comb. chingle steen, a pebble.Ork.(D) 1904 Dennison Orcad. Sk. 2:
We had auld pots, kettles an' tin peels, wi' chingle steens tae rattle i' them.