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.
Quotation dates: 1769-1940
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DOODLE, DOUDLE, Dowdle, Doodil, v. and n. [′dudəl Sc., but Rxb. ′dʌud-]
1. v. To dandle (a child) (Kcb.1 1940; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., dowdle); to lull (a child) to sleep.Sc. 1769 D. Herd Sc. Songs (1776) II. 203:
I have an auld wife to my mither, Will doudle it [baby] on her knee.Sc. 1819 Edb. Mag. (June) 526:
An' he was tane to Craignethan's hall, An' doudlit on his knee.Ags. a.1879 Forfar Poets (Fenton) 129:
Shogin' on the bourtree buss, An' doodilt at the cat.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet 207–8:
His greatest joy was to see her . . . doodling me on her knee.Ayr. 1787 Burns Bonie Dundee (Cent. ed.) i.:
Aft has he doudl'd me up on his knee.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw in Country Schoolmaster (ed. Wallace) 369:
Doodling sleepless weans.
2. n. Something dandled: (1) a (spoiled) pet; (2) a small bundle (Bnff.2 Abd.2 1940). Dim. doodlie.(1) Ags.17 1940:
“Yer makkin a doodle o' that bairn”: said to a mother who was dandling her infant.Edb. 1876 J. Smith Archie and Bess 64:
Mother Jeanie (lifting up a braw fat sonsy bairn frae his cradlie-ba' . . .) . . . a sweet barley-sugar doodle o' delight.(2) Abd.15 1928:
Wi' a wee doodlie in her oxter.
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"Doodle v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/doodle>
