Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

KYLE, n.¹ Also kile. A strait of water, a sound, narrow arm of the sea. Gen.Sc., mostly w. coast. Freq. in place-names, as in Kyles of Bute, Kyle of Lochalsh, etc. [kəil]w.Sc. 1703 M. Martin Descr. W. Islands 205:
All the Horses and Cows Sold at the Fair swim to the Main Land over one of the Ferries or Sounds called Kyles.Sth. 1726 Old-Lore Misc. VII. i. 40:
The parish of Durness is divided by a kyle so that there must be another preaching place besides the kirk.Rs. 1760 R. Pococke Tour (S.H.S.) 113:
We . . . had a very pleasant ride in sight of the river, which as far as the tyde goes they call a kyle.w.Sc. 1819 J. Macculloch Descr. W. Islands II. 451:
Few scenes exist in the Highlands of Scotland of a more romantic character than those which occur in the narrow passage of the Kyles, which presents, throughout, a labyrinth of promontories, rocks, and islands.wm.Sc. 1835 Laird of Logan I. 190:
If it had not been for the bit jaw o' water that comes through the Kyles, they would a' hae belonged to Bute as weel as ourselves.Sc. 1935 Times (12 Sept.) 15:
MacBrayne's new mail boat Loch Nevis steamed south through the kyles and sea lochs of the west.Sc. 1951 Scots Chronicle 29:
The Daffodil squatted, slid ahead Through the red kyle with thirty crans Of throttled silver in her belly.