Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

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.