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 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DAIDLE, Dadle, Dedle, n.¹ Also common in dim. forms daidlie, daidl(e)y, dedley. Found also in Der. dial. (E.D.D.). [dedl(ɪ̢)]

‡1. A pinafore (Sc. 1825 Jam.², daidl(i)e); “a cloth put on the breast of a child, to keep it clean during the time of eating, a larger sort of bib” (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. (1922) 135:
The plain gown of printed cotton or wincey reached almost to the ankles, and over it was worn a small square apron, the “fented dedley” (gored pinafore) only coming into fashion later.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 178:
When dancin' tots in daidles oor mithers took us there, To row us 'mang the gowans, an' breathe the caller air.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) v.:
I was a wee chap with a daidley, a ruffled shirt, and leather cap edged with rabbit fur.Arg.¹ 1929:
She got a daidley-fu' o' soorocks.e.Dmf. 1915 D. J. Beattie Oor Gate-en' 9:
In the distance micht be seen, here and there, the pink an white dadles o' the bairns getherin blaeberries.

2. Hence extended to mean an apron: “a canvas apron” (Mry.¹ 1925); “a bibbed apron” (Lnk.⁵ c.1916). Known to Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³, Lnk.³, Kcb.¹⁰ 1939. Also used attrib. in comb. daidly-apron, id. (Edb.¹, Lnk.³ 1939).Dundee 1987 Norman Lynn Row Laddie Sixty Years On 38:
[overalls or boilersuits] Slotted pencil pockets on his chest, two breast pockets, two side and two more rear pockets and possibly a daidle added.Fif. [1875] A. Burgess Poute (1890) 75:
Like Chirsty Kinloch — Kate was bowed i' the hoch — And wore a short daidley o' leather.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 182:
A close machine . . . vomits oot the Bishop in his wee short hat and black daidly.Kcb. 1896 S. R. Crockett Grey Man xxi.:
The simplest seeming of them will be able to wrap me in her daidly-apron.Slk. 1819 Leslie's March to Scot. in Hogg (ed.) Jacobite Relics I. 7:
Jockey shall wear the hood, Jenny the sark of God — For codpiece and petticoat, dishclout and daidle.

3. A napkin (Ags. 1975). Also dim. daidlie (wm.Sc. 1990s).

4. The scoop-net which removes the herring from the ring-net into the boat, acting like an apron (Mry., Bwk. 1975).