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 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AIL, v. Some uses are common to St.Eng., others obs. in St.Eng., others peculiar to Sc. [e:l]

1. impers. To trouble, afflict (of body or mind). Now only (as in St.Eng.) in interrog., rel. and indef. sentences. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1808 E. Hamilton Cottagers of Glenb. (1822) x.:
I kenna what ails me, I'm unco far frae weel.Sc. 1894 (publ. 1897) R. L. Stevenson St. Ives x.:
“What ails ye, man?” said he. “I'm offerin' ye a dram.”

2. impers. In phr. What ails ye (etc.) at = what objection have you to, what ground of complaint have you against? Gen.Sc. (Not found in St.Eng.)Sc. 1725 Scornfu' Nancy in Orpheus Caled. (1733) ii.:
What ails ye at my Dad, quoth he, My Minny or my Aunty?Sc. 1799 H. Mitchell Scotticisms 13:
What ails him at it? = What are his objections to it? [So Mackie Scotticisms 1881.]Sc. 1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped xii.:
“Why, Alan,” I cried, “what ails ye at the Campbells?”Abd. 1768 A. Ross What ails the Lasses at me iv.:
There's something still ails them at me.m.Lth. 1858 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. (1872) ii. 19:
What ails ye at the mist, sir? it weets the sod, it slockens the yowes, and — it's God's wull.

3. impers. To hinder, prevent (with inf.). Gen.Sc. Obs. in St.Eng.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xviii.:
And is't the way to Glasgow ye were speering if I kenn'd? — What suld ail me to ken it?Lth. 1892 R. Steuart Legends 178:
"Ye'll min' him, Nanny?" "What wud ail me tae min him?"

4. intr. with personal subject: (a) To be ill. As in St.Eng. but prob. more freely used. Bain (Higher Eng. Gram.) treated this use as a Scotticism.Edb. 1938 Fred Urquhart Time Will Knit (1988) 52:
The first two were dark, like Wattie, and real strong little Gillespies. But Arn was puny and aye ailing. Oh Arn, Arn, my poor laddie, after all the trouble we had in rearing you, to think that you would end like that. Edb. 1994:
Ma mother wis aye ailin.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe xxxiv.:
“Get her awa' to bed as sune as ye can, Peggie,” he whispered to his affianced. “She ails mair than we ken o'.”

(b) Foll. by at: To have an objection to (cf. 2). (Not used in St.Eng.)Slk. c.1817 Hogg Long Pack, Works (1865) II. 288:
“What can the fool mean?” said old Richard. “What can he ail at the dogs?”