Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPELL, n.¹, v.¹ Also speel (Bnff. 1871 Banffshire Jnl. (7 Feb.)). Sc. form and usages:

1. Spelling, spelling lesson (Bwk. 1971).Abd. 1867 A. Allardyce Goodwife xii.:
She'll read as clare's the Dominie. An's feerious at the spell.Slk. 1897 D. W. Purdie Poems 74:
When oor spells we couldna say.Bwk. 1912 J. Burleigh Ednam 125:
He makes them say their “spells.”

2. A spelling book.Sc. 1803 The Conductor Intro.:
The columns of Spelling which are generally interspersed in other Spells with the lessons of reading, in this Spell occupy a separate place.Lnk. 1842 Children in Mines Report II. 366:
Had a little “spell” the other day in which he was learning his A.B.C.

3. Combs. (1) big spell, a spelling book printed in capitals (Lnk. 1840 T.S.D.C.); (2) large spelling book, id.; (3) muckle spell-buik, id.; (4) spell-book, a spelling book; (5) wee spell (-book), a spelling book in lower-case letters (Lnk. 1840 T.S.D.C.).(1) Dmb. 1894 D. MacLeod Past Worthies 119:
The wee spell, the big spell, the New Testament, the Bible, and the Collection, in rotation, comprised the whole literary equipment.(2) Slg. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XV. 371:
They learn the sounds of the letters . . . then they receive the large spelling book.(3) Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb x.:
He's i' the foort class an' complete maister o' the muckle spell-buik.(4) Per. a.1843 J. Stewart Sketches (1857) 60:
Spell-book an' carritch syne to test Their skill in lear's in great request.Gsw. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures 137:
She's torn her spell-book into leaves.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May):
Da lang nebbit wirds i' da saxpenny spell buik.(5) Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy G. Chalmers 253:
“The wee Spell! what kin' o' book is that?” “The second step up the ladder, sir,” answered the Dominie.Sc. 1841 Tait's Mag. (June) 360:
He could hammer out some words in the “wee spell.”Ayr. 1868 A. McKay Ingleside Lilts 166:
I toddled to the auld schule-house The wee spell-book to learn.