Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STRACHLE, v., n. Also strauchle and with variant ending straucher. [strɑxl]

I. v. 1. To move or walk laboriously or with difficulty, to struggle; to toil, labour, potter ineffectually (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Wgt., Dmf. 1971).Slk. 1828 Hogg Poems (1874) 311:
The little wee horse he strauchlit on.Rnf. 1837 Crawfurd MSS. XI. 333:
He strachlet out, and he was not hurt.Clc. 1882 J. Walker Poems 36:
Be't lang-laid ley or cloddy stibble I strachled thro'.Kcb. 1898 A. J. Armstrong Levellers viii.:
A wad as lief darg a day to Craigwaggie as I wad strachle an' streen in an ill-soiled yard.

2. To straggle, to grow in a loose untidy way (Lth., Lnk., Wgt., Dmf. 1971). Hence ppl.adj. strauchlet, of a bush; straggly, untidily spreading (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein).

II. n. A struggle, a hard laborious time.Dmf. 1922 Rymour Club Misc. III. 101:
Puir Sam'l had a waesome time an' a sair straucher.