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.
DILL, v.1, n.1 [dɪl]
1. v.
(1) To hang loose, to flap (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; 1908 Jak. (1928); 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh.10 1949). Comb. ¶dill-bells, fluttering rags. For bell see Pell, n.1, 2. Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 47. 9:
A young doctor, newly passed, wi a string o letters laek dill-bells efter his name.
(2) fig.: to loiter, jog idly along (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
To dill awa de time, to idle away one's time by aimless walking about.Kcb.4 c.1900:
Dill a wee till we think what is next to be dune.
2. n. Something dangling, a rag (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).
[Norw. dial. dilla, to dangle, shake, Sw. dial. dilla, to swing. Cf. Dilder, which has a similar semantic development.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Dill v.1, n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/dill_v1_n1>