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.
HIPPLE, v., n. Also hippal; hyp(p)al, hyple, heipal (mainly s.Sc.). [hɪpl, s.Sc. həipl]
I. v. 1. To go lame, walk with a limp, to hobble (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr.4 1928). Most freq. in ppl.adj. = crippled, lame (‡Watson). Also as a n. (Ib.), and vbl.n. = a limp (Ork.5 1957). Derivs. ‡hippalty (-clink), †hypalty, lame (Watson). Cf. Hippity.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Adv. (19 May):
Lik' a team a' aul age pensioners, boo't an' wheezin', an' hipplin' an' paichin'.
2. To hobble an animal, to tie the legs of (‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Ppl.adj. hypalt, hyppald, heipalt, used as a n., a hobbled horse (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), and fig.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 15:
A was nae hippeet heipalt, hirplin on.
II. n. 1. A limping, hopping movement. In dim. pl. form hiplicks (Bnff. c.1920), comb. hipple Scotch (Ork. 1923 P. Ork. A.S. 68), the game of hopscotch.
2. One who walks badly or with a limp (Uls. 1930, hyple); a broken-down stiff-jointed animal.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck vii.:
How could we turn our hand wi' our pickle hoggs i' winter if their bit foggage war a' riven up by the auld raikin hypalts?
3. An ailment which causes a restricted, painful gait, e.g. sciatica or rheumatism (Cai. 1907 County of Cai. (Horne) 75, hippal, Cai. 1957, hypal).
[Freq. or dim. form of Hip, v., the diphthongal forms phs. meant to imitate a more laborious gait, as in Hirple. The ppl.adj. coincides also in form with obs. Eng. hip-halt, lame in the hips. See further s.v. Hypal.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Hipple v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hipple>
