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.
FEEFLE, v. Also feiffle, feefil, fiffle; fifel (Jak.). To work in a clumsy or foolish manner (Ork. 1887 Jam.); to act foolishly (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); ‡Sh.10 1951). Now gen. as ppl.adj. feeflan, clumsy, footling (Ork. 1887 Jam., 1929 Marw.); “working slowly or listlessly” (Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151). Hence adj. feefly, infirm, feeble, clumsy (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Ork.5 1951).
[O.N. fífl, a fool.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Feefle v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/feefle>
