Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HAUL, v., n. Also †hawl. Dim. haully (Edb. 1792 New Year's Morning 12).

Sc. usages:

I. v. 1. In phrs.: ¶(1) to haul up one's attention, to pay attention; (2) to haul upon the richt tow, to have the correct view of the matter, to have “the right end of the stick.”(1) Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 141:
Your attention hawl up; While a' the pranks the yonkers did, I'll in my memorie call up.(2) Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 76:
Doo aye haul ipo da richt tow.

2. In vbl.n. haulin(g), a mode of fishing (see quot.) (Kcb. 1956).Dmf. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ II. 15:
A second mode of fishing, called “haaving” or “hauling” is standing in the stream, either at the flowing or ebbing of the tide, with a pock net fixed to a kind of frame. . . . Whenever a fish strikes against the net, they, by means of the middle rung, instantly haul up the mouth of the net above water.

3. To make one's way slowly or laboriously, to trail.Abd. 1920 G. P. Dunbar Peat Reek 21:
Sae ilka deem ged haulin' hame wi' fairin' loadit doon.

II. n. A very large quantity of anything (Cld. 1880 Jam.), used in Eng. only in regard to the act of making a large profit, etc. from a transaction, or to the gain thus made. Gen.Sc.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 75:
“Thir uncle's dead, an' left thim a haul o' siller.” “He'll mack rich the year, for he's gettin' hauls o' corn oot o' ilky wee bit tuschlich o' a ruckie it he's thrashin'.” “The coo jist gees hauls o' milk.”Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man i.:
The Ballantrae folk never had any great haul of sense.