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.
Quotation dates: 1894-1956
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NILE, n., v. Also nyle (Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (23 Jöne)), näil, and aphetic form ile-, from wrong division of a nile. [nəil, Cai. əil]
I. n. The plug in the nile-hole of a boat, the bilge-plug (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 154, 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I.Sc., Cai. 1964). Comb. (n)ile-hol(e), a hole in the bottom strake of a boat for draining out bilge-water (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; Cai. 1956, ile-; Sh. 1964, nile-).Sh. 1894 J. Nicolson Tales of Thule 65:
And still it gains, no more — no more a doubt, The nile — the nile is out.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (11 Feb.):
I grövelled among da ooster an' da pilticks fil I fan da nyle.Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 65:
Dey hed ta clew up and pit da nile in.Sh. 1956 Shetland News (4 Dec.):
Boats would be upkummelled or their niles stolen.
II. v. To plug the nile-hole of a boat (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1964).
[Norw. dial. nygla, O.N. negla, a bilge-plug, Norw. dial. nygla, to plug a nile-hole, nyglehol, a nile-hole.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Nile n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/nile>
