Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866
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MASCHLE, n., v., adj., adv. Also meeschle and reduplic. form meeschle-maschle (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 112–3). [mɑʃl]
I. n. A mixture; a confusion, a muddle, a mix up; a mess (Bnff., Abd. 1962).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 112, 113:
Sic a maschle 's a' thing's in . . . They've made an unco meeschle o' that maitter.
II. v. To mix; to crumble into a mixture; to throw into confusion, to allow things to become confused; with up: to mix up, confuse, make a muddle of (of business matters); in pass.: to be inbred, to be closely connected by intermarriage.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 112, 113:
They're a' maschlet up thegither in that place . . . It wiz a' meeschlet up thegither.
III. adj. Confused, in a state of muddle; inbred, closely related through intermarriage.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 113:
Their money maitters are a' meeschle-maschle. . . . The hail toonie's a' meeschle-maschle freens through ither.
IV. adv. In a state of confusion.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 113:
The hail thing geed meeschle thegeether.
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"Maschle n., v., adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/maschle>
