Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HECHLE, v., n. Also heckle, heghle, hechil (Sc. 1825 Jam. s.v. custril), h(e)ighle, heichle, hychle. [hɛçl, həiçl]

I. v. 1. To pant, breathe quickly, as after considerable exertion (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., hechle, †heckle; Cai., Abd., Fif., Kcb., Slk. 1956).Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
I hechle, an' clocher, an' toyt but an' ben, Like a puir feckless grandsire o' three score an' ten.m.Sc. 1996 Margaret McSeveney in Kathleen Jamie and James McGonigal New Writing Scotland 14: Full Strength Angels 117:
Rid-faced an hechlin, they lay wi their airms aroon each ither, the watter soomin by them.

2. To walk or proceed with difficulty, to struggle or exert oneself in surmounting an obstacle, climbing a hill, etc. (Lnk. 1825 Jam., hychle; em.Sc.(a) 1956), used lit. and fig., with on (s.Sc. Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), up (Id.), at; to carry with difficulty (Lnk. 1825 Jam., Ayr.⁴ 1928, h(e)ighle); to make ungainly movements (Ayr. 1919 T.S.D.C. III., heichle).Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xxviii. 22:
The silly body's no awaur o't, That poortith may be hechlin at his heels.wm.Sc. 1950 M. Hamilton Bull's Penny xvi.:
I hychled over the roads, some drumlie because they couldn't be anything else.

II. n. A struggle; a difficulty; a perplexing piece of work (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., heckle; m.Lth., Rxb. 1956).