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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

HURL, v.², n.² Also hurrl, harl; horl (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).

I. v. 1. To make a deep rumbling hollow sound, as of rushing water or the sea heard at a distance (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Cai. 1919 T.S.D.C. III. 22; Sh., Cai., Uls. 1957).Cai. 1911 John o' Groat Jnl. (7 April):
A deep hole in a burn, into which the water falls, would be called a hurlan hole.

2. To breathe with the wheezy, congested sound which indicates phlegm in the chest or throat (I. and ne.Sc., Ags. 1957). Vbl.n. hurlan, a bronchial murmur in the chest (Id.). See n., 2.Ork. 1949 “Lex” But-end Ballans 9:
Sometimes a hurlan i' de kjist, . . . An' his bad kjettleen i' de t'rot.

3. To talk on monotonously, babble (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).

II. n. 1. The rumbling or grating noise made by a heavy object in motion (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; I.Sc., ‡Abd., Ags. 1957); a peal of thunder; the sound of the sea as heard from a distance (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1957).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 78:
The thunder roars, an' nae a breath between, Hurle upon hurle, an' just aboon their head.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 84:
A heard the hurl o' the trees gain' oot our the rocks in o' the river. A heard the hurl o' the cairtie comin' in the rod.

2. (1) The sound of laboured breathing resulting from phlegm in the throat or chest (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I.Sc., Cai., Abd. 1957). Hence adj. hurlie, congested with phlegm (Cai., Abd., Ags. 1957). See v., 2.ne.Sc. 1944 Abd. Press & Jnl. (11 April):
Instead of a cold on the chest, we had “a hurl at the breesht.”Ags.²⁰ 1953:
She thought her mother was taking pneumonia — she “grew hurlie in the chest.”

(2) Any gurgling sound in the throat (Sh. 1957), specif. a burr in speech; the death rattle (Ork., Cai., Abd., Kcd. 1957).Sh. 1948 New Shetlander (Jan.-Feb.) 12:
Da hurrl o' da whisky gjaun doon 'is trapple.Abd. 1988 Peter Buchan Fisher Blue 45:
The memories fae Seahooses an' Newbiggin an' Amble. Maist o' them seems t'hae a hurl in their throats.

3. Monotonous, meaningless talk, nonsense (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1957).Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
O, boy, yon's just a lok a hurl at du's spekkin.