Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866-1995
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STRUSHLE, adj., n., v. Also -al, -el, -il, struchle, and derivs. strushlach, struchlich, strushly. [strʌʃl]
I. adj. Untidy, slovenly, disorderly, of persons or things (Bnff. 1880 Jam., strushly; ne.Sc. 1971). Hence strushelness, slovenliness.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185:
He's unco strushal in's claise. A' thing aboot the place is unco strushal.Abd. 1900 Weekly Free Press (22 Sept.):
Ilka man an' wumman shud dress as weel an' keep themsel's as dacent as circumstances will alloo — there's nae excuse for strushelness.Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Sic a strushlach bairn she's growin'.Abd. 1927 E. S. Rae Hansel fae Hame 47:
Ay, strushel tawpies throu' an' throu' — Ferm lads wi' feint o' pedigree.Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Scots Sangs 40:
The binnin tow maks sheafies free O' strushil strabs galore.Abd. 1968 Press and Journal (30 Jan.):
Whatna strushal vratch is this? Tell her to snod hersel' up a bit.Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 215:
Faith, but he was a strushle brute, Bert Mutch, never even dressed himself for the mart or a roup. Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 39:
She belangt doon the wye o the Broch,
A big strushil deem wi a mowser
An a laach at wis herty an roch.
II. n. An untidy, slovenly person, a slut, slattern (ne.Sc. 1971). Also strushlach, struchlich, id. (Rs., Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C.).
III. v. To go about in a dirty, slovenly manner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185, Bnff. 1971).
[Deriv. form of Strush.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Strushle adj., n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/strushle>
