Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1716, 1860-1866
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†CATHEL, Kathil, n. and v. Sc. forms of Eng. caudle. See also Caddel. [′kɑðəl]
1. n.
(1) “An egg whipped up, mixed with boiling water, cream, rum, or gin, etc., and sweetened” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 93, kathil).Sc. 1716 Ramsay Chr. Kirke ii. xxii. in Poems (1721):
Tehee, quoth Touzie, when she saw The Cathel coming ben, It pypin het gae'd round them a'.wm.Sc. 1860 W. Watt Songs 239:
He, wi' the cathel and the cap, To gi'e eild's lade a heize.
(2) fig.: anything reduced to a pulp.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 93:
He dreeve the thing to kathil.
2. v. To beat severely; to reduce to a pulp.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 93:
A'll kathil the hehd o' ye, gehn ye dinna haud aff yir han's.
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"Cathel n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cathel>
