Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HETTLE, n. Also hattel, hattle (Cai.). A name given by fishermen to the rough stony sea-bottom some distance from the shore beyond the area covered with seaweed (Cai.3 1920, Cai. 1957), applied esp. to such an area in the Firth of Forth (Fif. 1825 Jam.).m.Lth. 1811 Wernerian Soc. Mem. 13:
The brassy is found, in the summer months, on the hettle or rocky grounds.Sc. 1864 J. M. Mitchell The Herring 348:
In the sunny mornings of May, they [fishermen in Firth of Forth] skim along to the “hekle” or “hettle” rocky grounds, the favourite haunts of the crab and lobster.
Hence phr. out of the hettle into the kettle, perfectly fresh (Fif. 1825 Jam.), and comb. hettle codling, a species of codling caught on the hettle (Ib.).
[Phs. a corrupt variant of Heckle (see 1864 quot.), from the jagged nature of the sea-bed.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Hettle n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hettle_n>
