Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RAUCHLE, n., v. Also -el, rachle, raughle; rackle. [′rǫxəl, rɑxl]

I. n. A loose, untidy heap of objects, e.g. a dry-stone wall, a tumbledown house; a conglomeration; anything dilapidated or ramshackle (m.Sc. 1967). Phr. a rachle o' banes, an emaciated person, someone who is skin and bone. Also in n.Eng. dial.e.Lth. 1889 J. Lumsden Lays Linton 67:
What is far mair important is the rent, an' the bargain ye mak aboot the steedin', for atweel it is e'enow a sorry an' a fushionless rauchle.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Bog-Myrtle 205:
It's sma' savin' o' expense to bring up a rachle o' bairns.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man xxxii.:
Keep your ill tongue for that disjaskit, ill-put-thegither rachle o' banes that ye hae for guidman.Uls. 1904 Uls. Jnl. Archaeol. 128:
Raughle. A rough heap of stones; a wall loosely built without mortar, ready to tumble down.Per.⁴ 1950:
There's a richt auld rachle o' a motor car.

II. v. To pile up in a loose heap, to build roughly and hurriedly, to throw up (a wall).Sc. 1870 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 28:
The gled he was a wily thief, He rackled up the wa'.