Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡DIFFEECULTY, DEFEECKWULTY, DIFFEEK(W)ALTY, Diffeequalty, Diffeeclety, n. Sc. forms of Eng. difficulty. Known to Sh.¹¹, Ork.² 1949, Bnff.², Abd. and Ags. correspondents, Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³, Arg.¹ 1940. [dɪ′fik(w)əlti]Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 144:
I fin' maist diffeeculty in the foreshortnin and perspective.Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 189:
It is wi' the greatest defeeckwulty ane can ken a word they say.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xliv.:
There sudna be nae gryte diffeekalty aboot gettin' hoose-room for twa aul' fowk.Abd. 1897 G. Macdonald Salted with Fire xvii.:
Weel, that ouchtna to mak muckle o' a diffeeclety atween auld friens like oorsels.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail III. ii.:
I can do no less than help you to him, which need be a matter of no diffeequalty.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 74–75:
He so fangled the laird's affairs, and drooned him in diffeekwalties and debts, that soon he had the impidence to offer him a sma' soom for the estate.