Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1899
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HOOZLE, n.1 Also hoozel (Uls.3 1930), houzle; hoosle, hoosel (Kcb.4 1900; Ant. 1905 Uls. Jnl. Archaeol. 123), housel (Bwk., Lnk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); hosel (Watson). [Sc. ′hu:zəl, Per. ′hʌuzəl]
1. The socket into which the handle or shaft of a hammer, pick, axe, fork, etc. is fitted (Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Slk. 1956); the spike on the head of a butcher's axe with which a cow is stunned (Uls. 1953 Traynor); a hoop, the pipe of a bellows (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 107). Fig. = the buttocks (Ayr.4 1928).Sh. 1899 Shetland News (4 Oct.):
Dey strak dem doon wi' a hammer, or da hoosle o' a eech . . . Hit wis nae winder 'at da ox fell, fir da hoos'l o' da eech guid cleen trow her skult.
2. By extension: a paper wrapper tied round a number of documents to keep them together (Rxb. 1825 Jam., Rxb. 1957).
3. Fig. A hunchback (Uls. 1953 Traynor).
[Deriv. in -el of Eng. house, to fix in a socket, place in a secure position. Cf. housing, a socket.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Hoozle n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hoozle_n1>
