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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DACKLE, DACHLE, v., n.¹ Also dachel, dachal, daachle, dauchle, dackel, daccle, daickle. Cf. Daak. [dɑkl, dɑxl, dekl]

I. v.

1. intr. To hesitate (Ayr. 1825 Jam.², daickle), to loiter, to dawdle; to slacken one's pace (Abd.⁶ 1913, dachle, dackle); known to Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Ags.² 1939. Ppl.adj. dacklin(g), (1) “slow, dilatory” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.); (2) “in a state of doubt” (Ib.).Bnff.(D) 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 18:
Bit never jowt my ginger for't nor dackelt ower my wark.Bnff. 1929 Bnffsh. Jnl. (1 Oct.) 2/4:
I dachelt some at the door, bit Heedies hield on, an' I folla't.Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlvi.:
Peter gya a kin o' a skair't glent, an' daccl't, an' says he, “Na, that's her an' oor Benjie tee.”Abd.(D) 1925 R. L. Cassie Gangrel Muse 12:
Wi' dacklin' feet I'll wauner Roon a' the airts.Abd. 1981 Christina Forbes Middleton The Dance in the Village 39:
I made up ma min' I'd jist mak for hame
It wis hardly a nicht tae dauchle
I wis sowpit an' sodden an' looked sic a sicht
An' ma sheen were beginnin' tae bauchle. Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 76:
Gaffers... snapping out orders as they went, never dachlin. Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 15:
So they'll nae devaal by Tarty's waal,
Nor daachle lang at Udny. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 2:
"Heilan buggers," ae weel-kent Buchan fairmer chiel caad the Howe fowk, though Gaelic hid deed oot twa hunner year or mair frae the muirs an skelps o clachans aboot the place. It hid left its merk ahin fur aa that, in the slaw dauchlin ower puckles o wirds that gied a savour tae the Doric o the hill-fowk. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 13:
An haein owercam the bumbazement caused by infinite space, he didna dauchle. Wi ae lowp, he brukk ben this hedge anna ... Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 15:
This waddin's cost five thoosan poon,
A dauchlin guest did say.Bch. 1944 F. M. Garry in Scots Mag. (Feb.) 370:
So they'll nae devall by Tarty's wall, nor dauchle lang at Ellon.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 98:
We shauchelt there
stairched, stiff suits, stiff hair slairged owre
wi Brylcreem, sleekit dacklin feet
'fore God's oorie lair.

2. tr. To cause to hesitate, to impede, hold back (Bnff.², Abd.² 1939). Phr. to dackle the ingle, to draw off the fire in a mill kiln, to cause it to go out (Bnff. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 57).L.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie in Abd. Univ. Review (July) 219:
The craturie doesna ken that — I reckon 't's as weel, The thocht wad dachle it some.Abd.(D) 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie 47:
We maun pit a stoot he'rt tull a stey brae, an' dee oor best. Fat's dauchlin' you aboot it?Bch. 1929 (per Abd.¹):
The win' in's face dachle't 'im a bit comin' up the brae.

†3. Vbl.n. dacklin, “a slight shower” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), from the intr. use above.Ib.:
A dacklin of rain; thus denominated, because such a shower often falls, when it seems uncertain whether the weather will clear up or not.

II. n.

†1. Uncertainty, a state of suspense or hesitation (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), used also of unsettled weather; a lull.Ib.:
When the weather is not settled, so that it is neither frost nor thaw, or when it seems uncertain whether it will be fair or rainy, it is said to be “in a dackle.” . . . The market is said to be “in a dackle,” when purchasers are keeping off, under the idea of prices not being come to their proper level.Ags. 1848 J. Myles (ed.) Literary Crumbs (2nd ed.) 18:
Farewell my tatter'd, toil-worn bachals, . . . You've born me weel through mony trachals, . . . In simmir's heat and winter's dachals, Baith foul and fair.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
Juist at this period . . . there occurred an ill-faured dackle in the weekly bulletins frae Breeriebuss.

†2. “The fading of the fire when its heat abates” (Nai. 1813 W. Leslie Gen. View Agric. Nai. and Mry., Gl.).

3. A hesitating step (Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1939).Bnff. 1923 “C.” in Bnffsh. Jnl. (19 June):
Man, yon skipper chielie an' the idder fishers wis rinkin' aboot yonner like a' that, an' never a dachle or stacher amo' them.