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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 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DEASIL, Deasoil, Deiseal, Dessil, adv., n. Gaelic. Also deishal (Per. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 181), diesel.

1. adv. Sunwise, according to the course of the sun (Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 205, deiseal).Sc. [1771] T. Pennant Tour 1769 (1774) 291:
At marriages and baptisms they make a procession round the church, Deasoil, i.e. sunways.Sc. c.1980 Forbes MacGregor Salt-Sprayed Burgh 27:
The interior staircase, spiralling clockwise, or diesel, was of wood, ...

2. n. The custom of walking sunwise round a person or thing to induce good fortune.Sc. 1774–76 T. Pennant Tour 1772 II. 15:
The Deasil, or turning from east to west, according to the course of the sun, is a custom of high antiquity in religious ceremonies.w.Sc. (Heb.) 1939 F. Drake-Carnell It's an old Sc. Custom 151:
“Dessil” is still practised in Lewis and elsewhere. This is the custom of making the circuit of houses, fields or animals carrying the fire in the “Dess” or right-hand.

Hence phr. to make the deasil, walk —.Sc. 1827 Scott Two Drovers xiii.:
So let me walk the deasil round you, that you may go safe out into the far foreign land, and come safe home.Sc. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth xxvii.:
Various ceremonies were gone through, while the kindred of the deceased carried the body ashore, and, placing it on a bank long consecrated to the purpose, made the Deasil around the departed.