Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1722-1828, 1913
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†SMIRTLE, n., v. Also smurtle, -el. [smɪrtl]
I. n. A sarcastic smile, a smirk of satisfaction; a suppressed laugh, a giggle (Sc. 1825 Jam.), “a cynical sort of laugh” (Abd. 1913).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 15:
[She] took frae her pouch a glack of bread an' cheese, And with a smirtle unto Lindy gees.Abd. 1813 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 9:
At last an lang ben came the mutton, (When ilka face a smirtle put on).
II. v. To smile in an arch or knowing way, to smirk; to laugh coyly, to giggle, snigger (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 170, smurtle).Sc. 1722 W. Hamilton Wallace i. iii.:
Then Wallace did revive, And leugh, and smirtl'd at them in his sleeve.Abd. 1729 Third S.C. Misc. H. 152:
She in the meantime was smurtling and laughing to some husseys round her.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 158:
And now I think I may be cocky Since fortune has smurtl'd on me.Slk. 1805 Scots Mag. (August) 621:
They blush, an' smurtlin', owne they like them.Bwk. 1821 W. Sutherland Poems 15:
The bairnies climb around his knees, And smurtel in his face.Rnf. 1828 Paisley Mag. 562:
The folk were a' smirtling and laughing round about.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ iii. liv.:
Naitir . . . smirtles upo' thae i' pooer.
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"Smirtle n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/smirtle>
