Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1812, 1899-1949
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FETTLE, n.2, v.2 Also fettel, †faittle, †fytle.
I. n. 1. A rope or band of twisted straw, heather or the like, esp. used as a handle for a cassie or creel (Sh., Ork., Cai. 1951), also †for a horse girth (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1866 Edm. Gl.).Cai. 1812 J. Henderson Agric. Cai. 69:
Each cassie has a fettle or handle in each side, and end, to carry it by.Ork. 1914 M. Spence Flora Orcad. 105:
This [juncus effusus] and conglomeratus were also cut and neatly tied up in "baets" for winding in the winter evenings for "bands" and "fettles" for "caeseys."Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 26:
Ye cood juist heuk da bight o' da maeshie fettel ower yon croilk apon his back.
2. Fig.: a person, a fellow, a "hand." Rare.Ork. 1920 J. Firth Glossary:
Thu're a euseless fettle.
II. v. To bind with a fettle (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., faittle, 1914 Angus Gl., fettel). Vbl.n. fytlin, = n., 1. above.Comb. fettlin band, one of the straps attached to the hoop of a hoop-net for lobster fishing (Sh. 1975).Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 242:
Da skipper wis sittin wi' a viskal o' gloy windin' fytlins fur da cappies.
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"Fettle n.2, v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fettle_n2_v2>
