Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1700-1741, 1900-1954
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VESHEL, n. Also veshell (Sc. 1701 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 151), veshal (Arg. c.1850 L. McInnes S. Kintyre (1936) 29), ¶vesial (Sc. 1790 Corresp. Boswell and Johnston (Walker 1966) 326); weshell (Bnff. 1700 J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. Keith (1880) 41), wesshell (Inv. 1721 Steuart Letter Bk. (S.H.S.) 167; Bnff. 1930); ¶wassal (Inv. 1716 Steuart Letter Bk. (S.H.S.) 21). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. vessel (Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xxxii., Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xxiii.; Knr. c.1886 J. L. Robertson Horace in Homespun (1925) 171; Ork. 1973). See P.L.D. §67, S, letter, 6. (2) and W, letter. [vɛʃl; Mry., Bnff. wɛʃl]
1. In combs. (1) fire-weshell(s), cooking pots and pans; (2) veshell-buird, a rack above a kitchen-dresser on which the dishes and pots and pans were kept. Also in shortened form veshel.(1) Bnff. 1700 S.C. Misc. III. 188–9:
They forced his neighbours to give them some fire weshells. . . . They took their fire weshell at their oune hand.(2) Rnf. 1741 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) V. 8:
The haill beds, clock, meill kist, veshellbuird.Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Pit that bawbee up in the corner o' the veshel till Sunday come.
2. The udder of a cow or other female animal (Cai., Per., wm. and sm.Sc. 1973).Edb. 1900 E. Strain Emslie's Drag-net 15:
The curved horns, an' the way they tapered to a point, an' the lines o' the vessel.Fif. 1936 St. Andrews Cit. (6 June) 9:
Two or three cows that, so far as their vessels are concerned, are not all they might be.Arg. 1954 D. Mackenzie Farmer in W. Isles 106:
The best jumper [goat] goes over into the corn, and the worst leaves a bit of her vessel on the barbed wire in the attempt to follow.
