Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DUNIWASSAL, n. Also dunie(-y)-, du(i)nni(e)-, dunna-, d(h)uin(i)e-, duin(e)-, duinhé-, -wasal, -wassel(l), -wastle. Hist.

1. A Highland gentleman; a gentleman of secondary rank, a cadet of a noble family (Arg. c.1915 (per Slg.³)).Sc. c.1715 Jacobite Minstr. (1829) 72:
Alka Dunywastle's coming Little wat ye wha's coming.Sc. 1800 T. Garnett Tour I. 200:
He was born a Duin-wassal, or gentleman; she a vassal, or commoner of an inferior tribe.Sc. 1810 Scott Letters (1894) I. 199:
18 Dec.: A single plume distinguished the Dunniewassell or gentleman, when I first remember the Highlands, from the peasant. [Waverley (1817) xvi., duinhé-wassel; Rob Roy (1895) Intro. lxxvi., dhuiniewassell.]Abd. 1872 J. G. Michie Deeside Tales 17:
The occupant of the principal house . . . was a duine-wasal, of the name of Cattanach. [dhuine-wasal, p. 37.]Edb. 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon 82:
But to return to my Tale, the King and his Dunnawassels, Came to see the Scots Gentry, and all his Vassals.Slk. 1835 Hogg Wars Montrose II. 140:
Seven of the duniwastles (or gentlemen) of the clan were present.

2. A term for the lower class of farmers, gen. contemptuous (Ayr. 1808 Jam.).