Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1722-1732, 1792-1851
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ARLE, AIRLE, ERL(E), n. For definition see Arles, n. Not used in Mod.Sc. except (1) attributively.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems and Songs, The Soldier's Return, Act i. Sc. iii. 20:
The bridal sheets! he, he, he, he, what bliss. The bridal sheets! O, gies an erl kiss!
(2) In comb. Arle-penny, airle-penny, arle-money, the coin or token as arles.Also used fig.Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (1800) II. 561:
And this is but an arle-penny To what I afterward design ye.Sc. 1732 T. Boston Crook in the Lot (1773) 123:
These are but pledges, samples, arle-pennies.Edb. 1851 A. Maclagan Sk. from Nature 318:
Sae, if you an' me can but agree, I'll spend wi' glee the arle-penny.Ayr. 1792 Burns O Can Ye Labour Lea (Cent. ed.) i.:
I fee'd a man at Martinmas Wi' airle-pennies three.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales, etc. (1837) IV. 7:
Perceiving Tibby so comely . . . he hired her at nearly double wages, and moreover gave her a crown as arle-money.
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"Arle n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/arle_n>
