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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TRANTLE, n. Also trantel; and derivs. trant(a)lum, trantlim, -loom; tranklum; ¶trantum; ¶tramplet. Gen. in pl.: small articles of little value, odds and ends, miscellaneous bits of furniture, gear or equipment not worth further specification, nick-nacks, gew-gaws, trinkets or the like (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 452, trantles, -lums; Abd. 1930, trantlums); childrens' toys (Lth. 1808 Jam.). Also attrib. Derivs. trantloch, trantlement, trintle-, id. (Abd.¹⁵ 1930).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 39:
Na, bimmie sooth I! I came fiercelins in, An' wi' my trantlims made a rattlin dinn.Sc. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 109:
The chapman with a great display of his tramplets, such as buckles and broaches.s.Sc. 1837 Wilson's Tales of the Borders III. 78:
Tak up this bit trantalum o' a thing till him.m.Sc. 1838 A. Rodger Poems 308:
Their sowen crocks — their trantlum gear — Their trash o' pirns she couldna bear.Lnk. 1865 J. Hamilton Poems 293:
I juist bade the Muse lea her trantels aheint her.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 379:
Tae pu the thack aff the hoose an fling their tranklums oot o' the door.Edb. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 169:
A' kind o' trantles they could find.Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 15:
The spinnin' wheel, an' a' trantlements sic sib.Kcd. 1971 W. Christie Paucae Micae 8:
Trintlement fae airm or finger ta'en.

Combs. (1) trantle-bole, a small wall-recess in which to store odds and ends (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 452). See Bole; (2) trantle-box, trantlim-, a box for keeping miscellaneous small articles (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 192, trantlim-; Kcb. 1900, trantle-); (3) trantle-hole, = (1) (MacTaggart); ¶(4) trantum shop, a shop selling cheap trashy goods. Used fig. in quot.Abd. 1794 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 2) V. 184:
About this time, ane ca'd the Pope Had new set up a trantum shop.