Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NATTLE, v., n. Also nat(te)l (Jak.), nyattle; and altered forms net(te)l, n(j)ittel, nitl, nyttl (Sh.). [n(j)atl, n(j)ɪtl]

I. v. 1. To nibble, chew awkwardly, mumble in a toothless fashion (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1963), to nip or bite to pieces, to pick at, to pluck, to knock off small fragments, as of stone, with a chisel (Watson), to cut awkwardly as with a blunt knife (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1963). Also with at. Vbl.n. nyttlin, picking, pinching (Edm.), cutting, marking with a knife. Also in n.Eng. dial. Deriv. and combs.: (1) natlin, a morsel, fragment, small quantity (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); (2) nattle-cake, a brittle kind of cake, an oatcake (Watson). Cf. Ettle, n.²; (3) netlebit, nitle-, one of the small, triangular pieces of earth left untouched by a Shetland spade in making a furrow, and afterwards hoed up (Jak.).Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
“To nattle a rose,” to nip it in pieces.s.Sc. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. II. 203:
The branches were nattled [by hares] till no worth a doit.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
He couldno get a bit nitteld aff. . . . I felt de fish nitlin at de bait.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 9:
Pookin “cheese-an-breed” off o the hedges ti nattle at.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 42:
Hit'll mean nyttlin aboot da edges till da middle is dune.

2. To grumble, nag, carp (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).Kcb.⁴ 1900:
Said of some cankered auld wife and her servant “She's aye nyattlin' at her.”

3. To work slowly, dawdle, trifle.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
To nat(te)l at de peats.

II. n. A small piece of anything, a morsel (Jak.).