Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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KELL, n., v. Also kail. Sc. variants of Eng. caul. Sc. usages:

I. n. †1. A woman's hair-net, cap or caul; the back of a woman's Mutch (Ork. 1929 Marw., s.v. fly).Sc. c.1730 John of Hazelgreen in Child Ballads No. 293 A. vii.:
A silken kell fitt for her head, Laid oer with silver sheen.Sc. 1817 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 466:
To braid her hair she didna care, Nor sett her golden kell.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlvi.:
A mutch that my wife hed ance wi' a byous muckle squar' kell.

†2. ? A net, netting.Slg. 1712 Burgh Rec. Slg. (1889) 128:
Every load of cans, kail, and made graith, imported and exported . . . 1. 0.

†3. A covering garment, a wrap; in quot. a shroud.Sc. 1802 Scott Minstrelsy II. 13:
Then up and gat her seven sisters, And sewed to her a kell, And every steek that they put in Sew'd to a silver bell.

4. An incrustation of scab, scurf or dirt on the head or face (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., Uls.³ 1930; Ayr. 1959); the grime on the face and hands of a workman; the coating of soot on a pot (Cld. 1880 Jam.). Also fig. With def. art. = ringworm (Edb. 1845 F. W. Bedford Hist. G. Heriot's Hospital (1859) 346).Rnf. a.1810 R. Tannahill Poems (1876) 362:
For your baul heid's aye covered wi kell, An your birsie beard's dreepin wi slavers.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize I. xxv.:
She was soon scrapit of all the scurf and kell of her abominations.Edb. 1898 J. Baillie Walter Crighton 184:
He put his hand on his head, wondering no doubt whether he was dreaming or if he really had the “kell”.Uls. 1953 Traynor:
Wash your feet and take that kell of dirt off your shins.

II. v. Found only in ppl.adj. kellt, -ed, covered with dirt or scurf (Lnk., Ayr. 1959), begrimed, covered with soot (Ayr. 1959).Ayr.⁴ 1928:
G'wa an' wash yer neck. It's kelled.