Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FAUCHLE, v., n. Also faughle, fya(u)chle, feochle; fo(i)chel (Bnff.); fouchle (Cai.). [Sc. ′f(j)ǫxəl, Cai. + ′fʌu-]
I. v. 1. To work lazily or listlessly (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 216, fyachte), with difficulty from weakness (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50), or in a helpless, bungling fashion (Cai.4 1920). With down, “to fall softly down” (MacTaggart).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50:
He foichels sair at that, bit he hiz nae raid wee 'im.Sc. 1881 L. B. Walford Dick Netherby v.:
Is that to say I'm to fin' him fyachlin aboot ilka day an' a' day lang?Cai. 1929 John o' Groat Jnl. (1 March):
Borrowston an' Peter micht noor be fouchlin' pooin' an' cairtin' neeps wi' 'e storm.
Ppl.adj. f(y)auchled, -it, tired, worn-out, overworked, harassed (Cai. 1916 T.S.D.C. II., feochled; m. and s.Sc. 1952).Per. 1900 E.D.D., s.v. forfaughlit:
I was fair faughlit wadin' amo' the sna'.
2. To walk with difficulty, laboriously, from lack of strength (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50), to trudge, to plod, to move the feet awkwardly or heavily (Cai. 1950).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50:
The peer aul' wifie cam foichelin', an foslin' up the brae.Cai. 1934 John o' Groat Jnl. (16 March):
'E Laird o' Camster wis a gey big loon fan A wis a fouchlin' boyag.
II. n. 1. A slow, inept worker (Ayr.9 1952); a bungler (Kcb.5 1943): “a small weak person unable to do his own turn and yet trying to do it” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50, fo(i)chel).
2. A muddle, a state of confusion (Fif.16 1952).
[Orig. somewhat uncertain. Prob. a freq. or dim. form of Fauch, v. 2. (b), or of Faucht, or a conflation of both. There has prob. also been influence in form and meaning from forfochen (see Forfecht). The -oi Bnff. form may be rather a similar formation from feicht, Fecht. Cf. P.L.D. §§ 131, 132.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Fauchle v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fauchle>
