Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BROGGLE, Brogle, v. and n. [brɔgl]

I. v. Also found in n.Eng. dial.

1. “To prick” (Lth. 1825 Jam.²); “to prick or prod a hole in a strap, belt, etc.” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).

2. With up. “To patch, to vamp; applied to shoes” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.²; 1923 Watson W.-B. s.v. broggle).

3. “To fail in doing any piece of work in which one engages; to be unable properly to finish what one has begun. To botch, to bungle, to spoil” (Bwk., Slk. 1825 Jam.², brogle, broggle; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 93; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 329:
There I finds auld Yiddie . . . sitting broggling and spelling at a kittle chapter in Nehemiah.

Hence broggler, “one who does work clumsily” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); “a bungler” (Slk. 1825 Jam.²).

4. “To persist in ineffectual attempts to strike a pointed instrument into the same place” (Lnk. 1825 Jam.²).

II. n.

1. “An ineffectual attempt to strike a pointed instrument into a particular place” (Lnk. 1825 Jam.²).

2. “One who does work clumsily” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); “an undeft [sic] workman that can neither mak' nor men'” (Kcb.⁵ c.1900).

3. “A job clumsily performed” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).