Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HOUZLE, v., n. Also housle, housal, -el; hoosle; huzel, huzzle. [hu:zl]

I. v. To take a large pinch of snuff, to fill the nostrils with snuff. In 1847 quot. the word appears to be extended to mean to snuffle and munch at, but may in fact be of a different (imit.) orig.Bnff. 1847 A. Cumming Tales (1896) 53:
The “brocket owse” was allowed to drag out his existence on the farm, while he could housle a sheaf of oats, gnaw a cabbage-stock, or chump a bell of heather.Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 78:
The Priest while hoosling up a snuff, Cries “Peggy! Peggy!! that's enough.”

II. n. A large pinch of snuff.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches xcvi.:
Talk of a pinch of snuff! phoo — my new acquaintance knew nothing of such a quantity — it was houzle after houzle for about two minutes.Per. 1881 D. MacAra Crieff 153:
After stuffing his proboscis with a “housal”, the mull would be placed on the bookboard.