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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.

HUSHLE, v.¹, n.¹ Also hush(e)l; huschle (Bnff.); huzzle (Abd.); hussle, -il (Rxb.). [hʌʃl, hʌsl, hʌzl]

I. v. intr. 1. To fidget or move about awkwardly or restlessly (ne.Sc. 1957); in an indecent sense in first quot. Cf. Hotch, I. 1.Abd. c.1750 Garland of Bon-Accord (1886) 13:
Awite I'm neither rich nor bonnie, But carlie can ye hushle ony?Kcd. 1811 Rymour Club Misc. (1906) I. 30:
Grannie fell into a ditch by the way. She hushled, she scushled, she kent na well hoo.Bnff. 1868 W. Garden Meg's Wedding 5:
The shy anes hushelt in a neuk thegither.

2. To shrug the shoulders, as if to rid oneself of an itch or irritation (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence husslin-shoodert, having the habit of shrugging the shoulders.s.Sc. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 310:
Then hussled up his shouders baith, And hastened to the door O.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 20:
A met . . . a shauchlin, husslin-shoodert skeibult wui a toozy, taaty heed.

3. To work or dress in a careless or slovenly manner (w., s.Sc. 1887 Jam.; ‡Ayr.⁴ c.1928; Sh. 1957). Cf. Hash. Hence hushly, hashly, dishevelled, untidy, slovenly (Ayr. 1957).Ayr. 1870 J. K. Hunter Life Studies 51:
His auld servant . . . was aye in a sort o' hushly state o' dress.Abd.⁸ 1917:
He jist hushels throu's wark.

4. To jog along in a lackadaisical manner, to proceed in a lazy, apathetic way (Sh. 1957).Abd. c.1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 156:
“He did not like new-fangled things.” “Na, na, jist hushel awa i' the auld wye wi' him.”

5. To rush down a steep slope on a sledge, to toboggan. Vbl.n. hushlin, the sport of sledging.Bnff. 1955 Fraserburgh Herald (8 Feb.):
The richt name for't is “hushlin” . . . it's nae only “youngsters” fa hushle in Gamrie!

II. n. 1. A heap, conglomeration, an untidy bunch or mass (Abd.⁶ 1913, huzzle; Cai.¹ c.1920; Sh., Cai. 1957); an unruly crowd.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 85:
A huschle o' streh cam off o' the hehd o' the sou an' the loon o' the tap o't . . . Fin the aul' fehl dyke cam doon in a huschle aboot thir luggs.Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 70:
... Pogo's grandfather used to live in a tent in the summer and in a seacave in the winter, a brawling, drunken, fechting hushle o shither by all reports.

Combs.: †hushel-bushel, -mushel, huschle-muschle, n., an uproar, a state of great confusion (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 86, -muschle); v., to put into such a state, to muddle (Ib.).Fif. 1825 Jam.:
A hushel-bushel sune began, And ilka chiel' ca'd oure his man.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin v.:
I' the midst o' the hushel-mushel twa o' my mither's chaft-teeth were dung clean oot o' her head.

2. An untidy, carelessly-dressed person, a slattern (Cai. 1911 John o' Groat Jnl. (7 April), hursel; Bch. 1919 T.S.D.C. III., huzzle; Abd.⁴ 1931; Sh., Cai., Kcb., Dmf. 1957).

†3. Fig. Of things: an old worn-out implement or vessel (Ags. 1808 Jam.). Of persons: one who is unable to work as a result of incapacity or ill health (Dmf. 1825 Jam.).Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 90:
I'm but a hushle At ony trade.Dmf. 1838 Carlyle Life in London (Froude 1884) I. 126:
Each hovers there for a year or two, and then eternity swallows him, and he lies as straight as old Wull Moor, the Galloway Hushel.

4. A rustling sound (Bnff., Abd. 1957).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 85:
A hard the huschle o' hir dress o' the fleer.Abd.¹⁵ 1924:
Aw hard a hushle amo' the strae.