Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1817, 1898-1935
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BURL, Burrel, v. and n. A variant of Birl, v.1 and n., q.v. [bʌr(ə)l]
1. v.
(1) To whirl, revolve rapidly (Abd.22, Edb.1, Kcb.1 1937). Jak. gives the forms burrel, borl, borrel for Sh.Dmb. 1932 A. J. Cronin Three Loves 326:
The occasional shout [of a Master of the Ceremonies at a dance-hall]: "Swap judies and burl!"
(2) To move rapidly, to hurry (Fif.10 1937).Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden ix.:
We wisna lang in burlin' up I can tell ye.Per. 1817 A. Buchanan Rural Poetry 72:
Harsh as the drone o' burlin nowt Or barkin' colly.
(3) To dance.Gsw. 1935 A. McArthur and H. K. Long No Mean City iii.:
"She's fairly coming on at the burlin'," he boasted. "She's a pure treat at the one-steps an' aw."
(4) To blow on a whistle. Cf. 2. Gsw. 1927 Scots Mag. (June) 179:
The polis! Erchie has blabbed on us. . . . An' auld Silver Winker's burlin' on his mate.
2. n.
(1) A whistle, "esp. the school whistle" (Lth., Bwk. 1937 (per Lnk.3); Kcb.1 1937).Gsw.(D) 1909 J. J. Bell Oh! Christina! v.:
The last lot o' burls wasna up to the mark. . . . The pea was aye stickin'.
(2) The sound made by a whistle (Fif.10, Arg.1, Kcb.1 1937).Gsw. 1898 D. Willox Poems and Sketches 102:
But a' was as silent as ever, except the short, shrill burrel o' a policeman's whistle, dootless hailing his neighbour tae gie him a haun' tae dae naething.
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"Burl v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/burl>
