▪ I. speel, n.1 Now dial.
Also 7 speele, 7, 9 spele.
[Of Scand. origin: cf. Norw. spela, spila, Sw. spjela, spjele, of the same meaning.]
A splinter or strip of wood, iron, etc.
| c 1440 Wycliffite Bible 2 Kings xviii. 21 The splyndre or speel therof schal entre in to hys hond. 1634 Lowe's Chirurg. 185 Boyle all in an earthen pot, and stirre it about with a speele of wood. 1660 M. Parker Hist. Arthur C iv, The speele of a broken launce hapned to pierce his skull. 1676 Wiseman Surg. Treat. 286 During which some small Speels of Bones cast off, and the Ulcer cicatrized without much difficulty. a 1700 Kennett MS. Lansdowne 1033 fol. 388 (Halliw.), A spele, a small wand, or switch in Westmorl[and]. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Spele,..a long, thin slip of wood. 1872 N. & Q. 4th Ser. IX. 21/2 He had got a speel in his finger. 1882 Lancash. Gloss. 249 Speel (Preston), a splinter. |
▪ II. speel, n.2 Sc.
Also spiel.
[f. next.]
The act of clambering or climbing.
| 1807–10 Tannahill Poems (1846) 76 He clamb the heights of Jura's isle, Wi' weary speel. 1885 [J. Lumsden] Rhymes 31 Steeple-Jack daurna wage a spiel wi' me. |
▪ III. speel, v.1 Sc. and north. dial.
(spiːl)
Forms: 6 speill, 6, 9 speil, 9 spiel; 6 spel, spele, 8– speel, 9 speal.
[Of obscure origin; perh. a back-formation from speeler1.]
1. intr. To mount or ascend to a height by climbing; to climb or clamber (up or down).
| 1513 Douglas æneid ii. viii. 11 Wp to the side wallis mony leddir set is, Quhairon thai preis fast our the ruif to speill. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 154 This Bird..began to speill, rycht spedalie. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 232 The skipper speillit belyve to the top Mast. 1715 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. ii. x, [They] swat like pownies when they speel Up braes. 1816 Scott Old Mort. x, I could..speel down..weel eneugh. 1818 ― Hrt. Midl. xx, The..wolves..that I used to see spieling up on my bed. 1863 in Robson Bards of Tyne 221 So he speal'd up the side. |
| fig. a 1586 Montgomerie Misc. Poems iii. 31 Then spurgald sporters they begin to speill [at court]. 1825 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 2 You'll see who will have speeled to the top of the tree. |
b. transf. Of the sun, etc.: To move towards the zenith.
| 1718 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. iii. i, The dawn Speel'd westlines up the lift. 1768 Ross Helenore 58 An' neist the sun to the hill heads did speal. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 43 Phoebus..up the pend at furious rate Gaed spielin'. |
2. trans. To mount or ascend, to climb or clamber up (a hill, tree, etc.).
| 1571 Satir. Poems Reform. xxviii. 160 The Lord..Inspyrit thair spreitis, & gart thame speil that heuch. 1785 Burns To W. Simpson iii, My senses wad be in a creel, Should I but dare a hope to speel..The braes o' fame. 1790 A. Wilson 2nd Ep. A. Clark Poet. Wks. (Belfast ed.) 99 Tired wi'..Speeling stairs, and lifting snecks. 1815 Scott Antiq. vii, Nae mortal could speel them [sc. the cliffs] without a rope. 1894 Heslop Northumbld. Gloss. 676 He speeled the tree like a cat. |
| fig. 1786 Burns To Jas. Smith xiii, Ance that five an' forty's speel'd. |
b. transf. Of things.
| 1790 A. Wilson in Poems & Lit. Prose (1876) II. 198 Bonny mornin' speels the eastlin lift. a 1849 W. Nicholson in Edwards Mod. Scott. Poets (1881) III. 67 The honeysuckles speel the roof. 1856 R. Simpson Covenanters of South 429 An ancient Celtic dyke speels the beetling height. |
▪ IV. speel, v.2 dial. and slang.
Also spiel.
[Origin obscure: perh. f. speel v.1]
a. intr. To go fast; to run away, make off. Chiefly Austral. in later use.
| a 1818 W. Midford Cappy in T. Thompson Coll. Songs (1827) 49 Owre his airm hung a basket—thus onward he speels, And enter'd Newcassel wi' Cap at his heels. 1829 Sessions Papers at Old Bailey 9 Apr. 329 The blake come, i spelld away. 1882 Sydney Slang Dict. 9/2 Shake this mob, Bill, and speel to the den, and let our lushy shicksters bring the ruin in. 1905 in A. B. Paterson Old Bush Songs 56 No more shall we muster the river for fats, Or spiel on the Fifteen-mile plain. a 1921 G. H. Gibson in Penguin Bk. Austral. Ballads (1964) 207 With a turn o' speed..As can spiel like a four-year brumby. 1945 S. J. Baker Austral. Lang. 70 Horses are said..to speel when they travel fast. |
† b. trans. Phr. to speel the drum (see quots.). Cf. drum n.1 9 d. Obs.
| 1839 H. Brandon in W. A. Miles Poverty, Mendicity & Crime 167/2 To speel the drum, to run away with the stolen property. 1859 Slang Dict. 98 Speel, to run away, make off; ‘Speel the drum’, to go off with stolen property. North. |