Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DRUILLIN, n. Also drulyan, druyllin, drølin, dröllion, drooieline. A half-grown coalfish (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., druyllin; 1908 Jak. (1928), drølin; 1914 Angus Gl., druillin; Sh.¹⁰ 1950, obsol.). [′drølin]Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 130:
Rönies or Rönis Hill . . . was by no means among the “crabs and drooielines,” but signified a distance of thirty miles from the shore.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 27:
We got thirty sma' pilticks, an' five, or wis hit sax dröllions, Tammy?Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 201:
“Ruthin” is a three-year-old saithe, and he becomes a “Drulyan” when he is near maturity.