Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1835-1859, 1998
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DEFEECKWALT, Defeeckwult, Deffeckwalt, Diffiquilt, adj. Sc. forms of Eng. difficult. Known to Bnff.2 (defeeckwult), Abd.19, Ags.2, Slg.3, Kcb.1 1940. [dɪ′fikwəlt]Ags. 1859 C. S. Graham Mystifications 62:
It's no sae lang syne nor diffiquilt to mind.s.Sc. 1835–40 J. M. Wilson (ed.) Tales of the Borders (1857–59) VII. 137:
I wad match ony coo I hae in my byre against ye at a defeeckwalt point o' law.Dmf. 1998 Jilly Hawker in Neil R. MacCallum Lallans 51 13:
Life for her fowk was sair deffeckwalt the noo. Eilidh's faither was richt badly an bedfast these past weeks.
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"Defeeckwalt adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/defeeckwalt>
