Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825, 1935, 1988
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BYSPEL, BYSPEEL, Byspale, n., adv., adj. Given in N.E.D. as obs. or dial. in Eng. [′bɑɪspɛl, -spil]
1. n.
(1) A person or thing of rare or wonderful qualities; often used ironically. Given by Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923) as obs. in form byspale and as obsol. in form byspeel.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 72:
Set ear til the wame or it hear Scotland move
aince mair, the byspale o history, the bairn again -
miraculous birth e'en alow bitter starn.Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
"He's just a byspale," he is a singular character; "He's nae byspel mair than me," he is no better than I am.
(2) "An illegitimate child" (Ib.).
2. adv. Extraordinary, very.Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
Byspel weel, very well, exceedingly well.
3. adj. Wonderful.Per. 1935 W. Soutar Poems in Scots 37:
And saw a man wha's twa e'en burn'd Wi' byspale glamer like he sklent On routhie years time yet maun tent.
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"Byspel n., adv., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/byspel>
