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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.

TREVALLIE, n. Also trevallyie, trevaillie, trevellye (Uls. 1953 Traynor), trevollie, travalie, travall(e)y (Uls. 1931 Northern Whig (11 Dec.) 13, (14 Dec.) 9), travellye, treevolie. [trə′vɑl(j)ɪ, -′vel(j)ɪ]

1. As in obs. Eng., a reveille, wakening signal beaten on a drum.Slg. 1707 Slg. Burgh Rec. (1889) 112:
To beat the tattow and travalie at 4 aclock in the morning for the Sumer seasone.

2. Anything unusually noisy, a startling din: (1) the sound of a noisy fall or crash, a prolonged clatter (Cai. 1930; Uls. 1931 Northern Whig (11 Dec.) 13). Also in n.Eng. dial.Ork. 1904 Dennison Sketches 20:
The thunder geed, as gin the heel' lift had been rumblan' doon wi' a travellye.

(2) a disturbance, brawl, fracas, outburst (Rnf. 1837 Crawfurd MSS. XI. 332, trevollie); a noisy scolding (Ayr. 1825 Jam., treevolie; Uls. 1953 Traynor).Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick I. xi.:
Gin ye could airt me to ane o' them, we wad let you see a fine trevallie.Ork. 1911 Old-Lore Misc. IV. iv. 184:
Jock o' Howally wis wint tae geong a' roond da coontra whin da notian for haein' a travellya cam ower him.

3. A train or retinue of attendants, gen. used contemptuously, a swarm, rabble (Cld. 1808 Jam.); a great number of people or things (Uls. 1931 Northern Whig (14 Dec.) 9), poss. from the notion of roll-call involved in reveille.Rnf. c.1850 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) T. 157:
When a person comes to visit, with a number of followers, whom we did not want, we speak thus, “Thair sho, or he cums and a great trevollie wi her.”