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.
OOL, n., v. Also owle; ul (Jak.). Sc. forms of Eng. owl (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags. 1964). See P.L.D. § 38. [u:l]
I. n. As in Eng. For comb. cat ool, see Katogle.Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage xxxiv.:
It wad mak an ool laugh to hear the wark that's made aboot young fowk's health noo-a-days.Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 69:
Screechin out, like a thousan' ools.Ags. 1860 A. Whamond James Tacket viii.:
When he stood up and read the line in a high key, “I like ane ool in desert am,” it was too much for the gravity of the hearers.
II. v. tr. To treat harshly, ill-use, bully (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928)), to wreck the health or spirits of; intr., of a person: to be dejected and subdued, as from illness (Sh., Uls. 1964). Ppl.adj. oolin, of pain: troublesome, gnawing (Gall. 1964); of a person: fretful, peevish, downcast (Ayr. 1928); ool(e)d, oolt, downtrodden, downcast, cowed, nervous, subdued, bewildered, dumbfounded (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; ne.Sc. 1964).Wgt. 1832 A. M'Dowall Will Wander 81:
The wisest man when drunk's a fool . . . But wha e'er wished that drink should owle A lov'ly woman.Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.:
“He's oolen ower the fire” — a person so unwell as to be barely able to move about.Ayr. 1913 “Kissock” Sc. and Eng. Poems 10:
Jist like a cankerous, oolin' pain.Abd.8 1917:
“She's a peer oolt creatur.” This is said of a woman who is dominated by some one, husband, father or brother, somewhat disreputable, which grieves her much.s.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Penny Wheep 4:
He juist sits oolin' owre the fire.Bnff. 1933 M. Symon Deveron Days 52:
Dazed, ooled, I stoiter to the door.
Deriv. and comb.: oolie(-like), ailing, ill, out-of-sorts (Ork. 1929 Marw.); †ulaviti, one who is habitually ill-treated and bullied (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).
[For II., see Hoolet, II. 1., and cf. the fable of the owl and the other birds and the popular notions of the owl as “moping” and complaining, feeling cold, and being shunned and solitary (see The Buke of the Howlat in Sc. Alliterative Poems (S.T.S.) 49–50, the Wallace (S.T.S.) X. 133 ff., Swainson Brit. Birds 123–5, and E. A. Armstrong Folk Lore of Birds s.v. Owl) and 18th c. n.Eng. dial. owl, to henpeck, cause to pine by ill-usage. For ulaviti, cf. Norw., O.N. ugla, owl, + O.N. vœttr, being, creature. See also Oolet.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Ool n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 27 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/ool>
