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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

KYLOE, n. Also kiloe (s.Sc. 1772 Edb. Ev. Courant (13 May)), -ey, kylie, keilie (Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 1), k(e)yley, cayley (Rxb. 1768 Session Papers, Buccleugh v. Turnbull (10 March) 17). Also in n.Eng. dial. [′kəilɪ, ‡′kəilo]

1. One of a breed of small Highland cattle, esp. those from the West and the Hebrides, having shaggy hair and long curving horns (Cai., Per., Fif., Lnl., s.Sc. 1960); sometimes applied to Highland cattle in general (Sc. 1825 Jam.), but see 1919 quot. See Hieland; Also fig. and attrib., in Rxb. 1885 quot. = rough, shaggy.Slk. 1751 Border Treasury (17 Oct. 1874) 144:
Recd. from Brodhaugh, kiley stots that I am to winter till the 1st of April, for 7s. 6d. the beast fore wintering.s.Sc. 1766 Abd. Journal (24 Nov.):
At Hexham fair, there was the greatest quantity of black cattle ever known there . . . what sold considerably lower than at Newcastle fair, particularly Scots kylies, many of which had been drove from thence unsold.s.Sc. 1776 Dmf. Weekly Mag. (3 Sept.) 416:
A great saving to the south country dealers, who have been under a necessity to travel to the most northern parts of Scotland, to fairs for kyloes, &c.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxiv.:
There's mony ane wad rather see him again at the tail o' three hundred kyloes, than at the head o' thirty waur cattle.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 116:
There's Jock that came frae Islay As clung's a hungered kylie.Dmf. 1827 Carlyle Letters (Norton) I. 48:
The fence had been broken down; and there had the kyloes been ranging and rubbing and eating and breaking.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm (1849) I. 9:
Those [cattle] in the Western Isles, called “West Highlanders”, or “Kyloes”, are esteemed a beautifully symmetrical and valuable breed.Rxb. c.1885 W. Laidlaw Poetry & Prose (1901) 44:
Her kyloe hair an' squintin' e'en Made Griz the queerest lookin' wutch That e'er in Jethart toon was seen.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 190:
A min' yin o' them, a great muckle jellet o' a byrewoman, yt could maist 'a taen a Kyloe bill by the horns, an laid it aval.Sc. 1919 Trans. Highl. Soc. XXXI. 138:
The Kylo, the common indigenous cow of Scotland, . . . was a very small fine-horned cow, prevailingly dark in colour, and bearing a close resemblance to the Shetland cow.Sc. 1931 J. Lorimer Red Sergeant ix.:
Give him his due, the great kyloe of beef and brawn!

¶2. Used, with a pun on the place-name Kyle, to denote a native of that part of Ayrshire (Wgt. 1877 “Saxon” Gall. Gossip 180).Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 19:
Talk about the Eerish! They'r naething tae the Kyloes . . . the verra sorra hissel wudna get an Ayrshireman oot if he gat his muckle tae in.