Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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DALE, DAIL, Deyl, Deall, n.² Sc. forms of Eng. deal, a certain size of plank of fir or pine wood; the wood of fir or pine.

Used also in Sc. to mean: 1. a shelf (Cai.⁷, Bnff.², Abd. correspondents, Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³ 1939; Ayr.⁴ 1928, dail). Hence (1) cheese-dail, “a shelf on which cheeses lie for maturing” (Kcb.¹⁰ 1939); (2) turnin'-dails, “racks which hold a number of cheeses which can be turned on pivots, thus saving the labour of turning singly by hand” (Id.); 2. “a wooden bridge across a burn, sometimes consisting of a single plank laid from bank to bank, sometimes composed of several planks laid side by side” (Sh. 1938 (per Sh.³)); 3. a vessel (orig. of wood) gen. used for holding milk (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein); 4. a diving board (Dmb. 1940s). [del Sc., but Cai. deil]1. Sc. 1802 Scott Letters (1894) I. 14:
Sundry times he'd run to the dale where the books lay.Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 23:
In some houses a series of shelves like a press without doors were called dails.(2) Kcb.¹⁰ 1940:
Up till twae year sin' we had nocht but the auld plain shelves, but the estate jiners put in posts and made them intae turnin'-dales.3. Cai.⁷ c.1910:
Scaud yer deyls if ye want til keep yer milk sweet.Per. 1737 Ochtertyre House Booke (S.H.S. 1907) 248:
[Inventory of Milk House] 1 deall with iron handle.4. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 19:
dale a high diving board or platform at the swimming baths: 'Ah dare ye tae dive aff the dale.'Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 26:
Ma wee pal c'n dive aff the tap dale at the baths. My little friend can dive from the highest diving board at the swimming pool.