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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DAIDLE, Dadle, Daidel, Dadel, v.¹ and n.² Also daddle; erron. deidle (Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (March) 668). [dedl]

I. v.

1. intr.

(1) To idle, to trifle, to waste (time); to potter about; to saunter. Known to Abd.², Fif.¹, Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1939; Per., Lth. Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein. Also applied to one who goes tippling from one public-house to another. Vbl.n. daidlin, idling; ppl.adj. da(i)dlin(g), dadeling, lazy, doddering.Sc. 1756 M. Calderwood Journey (Maitland Club 1842) ii. 227:
I looked about to see this man that had pleased the eye so much, and, behold! a little, silly, dadling, naisty body, with a coat which had belonged to a man of six foot high upon him.Sc. 1834 H. Miller Scenes and Leg. (1850) xxi.:
“O, Sawney's frae hame!” rejoined the voice. . . . “Daidlin' deceitful body!” exclaimed Sandison.Bnff.(D) 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 7:
Sae het-fit tae the hills we hied . . . We daidelt not by murm'rin' streams, green howes, or sandy dells.Ags. 1883 J. Kennedy Poems (1920) 124:
Nae mair his mind is in the mirk, Wi' ghaists he doesna daidle.Rnf. 1819 R. Tannahill Poems (1876) 326:
Sae soon as the Munonday mornin comes in, Your wearifu daidlin again maun begin.Gsw. 1863 J. Young Ingle Nook 90:
This day a shot he hasna treadl't, But out an' in at drink he's daidl't.Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 25:
James M'Kelvie was a poet, an that's no sayin muckle for him; an he daidle't awa maist o' his time aboot Castle-Douglas.Rxb. c.1870 Jethart Worthies (n.d.) 41:
“Wh-wh-whae's that?” “It's me, ye dadeling wasp. . . . Is the breeks dune?”

Hence (a) daidler, a trifler (Fif.¹⁰ 1939; Dmf. 1825 Jam.²); (b) daidley, dawdling (Twd. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.); (c) daidley hinmaist, one who is always last, a dawdler.(a) Fif. 1882 “S. Tytler” Scotch Marriages I., Jean Kinloch ii.:
She's nae daidler either at meat or wark.(c) Abd. 1903 Abd. Weekly Free Press (24 Oct.):
She was juist a han'less daidley hinmaist, mair bather than she was a' worth.

Phr.: to daddle and drink, “to wander from place to place in a tippling way; or merely to tipple” (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1900 E.D.D.); to waste (one's money) on drink.Ayr. 1861 A. McKay Lilts (1868) 44:
Ye vile drucken dyvour. . . . Ye've daidled and drunk every penny we had.

†(2) To walk the streets (applied to a prostitute) (Ayr. 1825 Jam.², daddle).

(3) To waddle; to stagger, to walk unsteadily.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He daidles like a duik.Sc. 1832–46 W. Miller in Whistle-Binkie, Nursery Songs 37:
Now, the dog maun get a saddle, Then a cart's made o' the ladle, To please ye as ye daidle Round our ain fire-end.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 76:
Ye needna be sae blawn wi' pride, Or daidle on sae croose.

(4) To ramble in talk, relate in a dull prosy manner (Abd. 1917).

2. tr. †(1) “To mismanage, to do any work in a slovenly way” (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Ib.:
Meat is said to be daidled, when improperly cooked; clothes, — when ill-washed.

(2) “To hinder or obstruct” (Ags. 1910 Arbroath Guide (24 Sept.)).

(3) To waste, be prodigal with. Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce II. xiii.:
I have, like an idle spendthrift, daidled time and talents even owre lang.

II. n. (1) In phr. on the daidle, (i) behind-hand, lagging behind; (ii) rambling, “on the ramble” (Sc. 1818 Sawers Dict. Sc. Lang.).(i) Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 123:
But swatch ye his actions — they're aye on the daidle; He doesna mean hauf that he skails frae his gab.

(2) Gen. in pl.: rambling nonsensical stories, rigmaroles (Abd. 1917, auld wifes' daidles).