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.

VARLINE, n. Also varlin, vaarline. A secondary or auxiliary line connecting a fishing-boat with the buoy of a fleet of lines and held by one of the crew to prevent loss of the tackle if the main line breaks in a heavy sea (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1973).Sh. 1892 Manson's Sh. Almanac:
Juist as we wir lyin till er da vaarline bruke and da bow gied doon wi da russie o da tide.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 131:
The bow is floating close at hand, attached to the boat by means of a vaarline.