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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DROCHLE, n., v. Also droichle, droghle. [′droxəl, drɔxl Sc., but Cai. ′drɔiçəl]

1. n.

(1) A short dumpy person, a puny insignificant person (Cai.⁷ 1940; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 42; Bnff.² 1940; Abd.¹⁵, Ags., Fif. 1950; Ags. 1910 Mrs J. B. Smith W.-L.; Bnff., Ags., Fif. 2000s). Also used attrib. Dim. drochly (Mry.¹ 1925).Bnff.⁶ c.1915:
Mary hisna growen oot o' the bit the last twa 'ear. She'll aye be a wee drochle o' a craiter.Fif. 1873 J. W. Wood Ceres Races 93:
Yet you! ye German-siller shrew, Would say I filled your drochle fou, A Chield, was aye a ne'er-dae-weel.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obsol.:
A wee drochle o' a craitur.Slk. 1832 Hogg Queer Book 212:
Up there starts a droichle man.

(2) “A fat dumpy animal small of its kind” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 42; Bnff.², Abd.², Abd.⁹ 1940); the smallest of a litter (Fif.¹⁰ 1940).

(3) “The act of walking with slow, short step” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 223).

2. v. To walk slowly and feebly with short steps (Ib.; Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1940); to dawdle.Abd. 1900 E.D.D.:
What are ye drochlin there for?

Ppl.adj. drochlin, droghling, (1) puny, dwarfish (Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1940); “including the ideas of feebleness and staggering” (Jam.²); (2) lazy, indolent (Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1940; Cld. 1825 Jam.²).(1) Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley (1817) xlii.:
That droghling coghling baillie body they ca' Macwhupple.Abd. 1788 J. Skinner Christmass Bawing xiv. in Caled. Mag. 501:
Tho' Rob was stout, his Cousin dang Him down wi' a gryte shudder, Syne a' the drochlin hempy thrang, Gat o'er him wi' a fudder.(2) Abd. 1900 E.D.D.:
That lassie's a drochlin crater.