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.
Quotation dates: 1792-1925
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FEEL, adj.1 Also feal, feele, feil, fiel, and deriv. feelie (Gall.).
1. Of things: cosy, neat, clean (Dmf., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan II. xii.:
We keep a feal warm house and hae something baith in the pot and in the pan.Rxb. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. II. 35:
Snug frae the blast in the spence feel and dry.
2. Of persons: comfortable, cosy (Dmf., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Dmf. 1822 A. Cunningham Trad. Tales II. 330:
Ye'll be saftest and fealest on the Buittle side of the kirk.
3. Soft, smooth and pleasant to the touch, velvety (Dmf., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Bwk., Dmf., Rxb. 1950; Kcb.4 1900, Kcb. 1951, feelie). Also adv. and transf.Ayr. 1792 Burns My Spinnin' Wheel i.:
Leeze me on my rock and reel, Frae tap to tae that cleeds me bien, And haps me fiel and warm at e'en!Rxb. 1805 A. Scott Poems 86:
Her blankets air'd a' feil and dry.s.Sc. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 14:
The bed, — I'll say this far in't, — Is clean and feel as ony lair.Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 147:
A feil hand is a smooth, warm hand.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne (1929) 142:
The clean “feel” smell of wind-tedded fleece and sweet meadow grass in my nostrils.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 23:
A clean thing's aye feel.
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"Feel adj.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/feel_adj1>
