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.
‡MISSLIE, adj. Also missly; mistlie, -y. [′mɪsle]
1. Alone, lonely, solitary because of the absence of some usual companion (Rxb., Slk. 1802 J. Sibbald Chrons. Sc. Poetry IV. Gl.; Lth. 1825 Jam., mistly; Uls. 1963). Hence misslieness, loneliness, solitude, isolation (Cld. 1825 Jam.).Uls. 1903 E.D.D.:
It is very mistly, wanting the dog.
2. Missed, regretted owing to one's absence; causing inconvenience for lack of it.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 348:
We say such a one is misslie, when his presence is missed anywhere, and thought to be awanting.Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 151:
A mistlie thing, a useful thing which it is awkward to be without.Uls. 1922 S. S. McCurry Ballads of Ballytumulty 31:
I've had a notion aff an' on Of makin' her my own: She's missly wantin' sure enough.
3. Lost or bewildered on a road (Rxb. 1857 Jam.).
4. Dreary, eerie (Ib.).
[Miss, v. or, more likely, missed, mist (Ib.) + -lie, -ly, suff.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Misslie adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/misslie>
