divil - Hamely Tongue
Source: The Hamely Tongue: A Personal Record of Ulster-Scots in County Antrim
Author: James Fenton
Comments: ‘The Hamely Tongue’ has been widely acclaimed as the authoritative record of contemporary (surviving) Ulster-Scots in its heartland of County Antrim where James Fenton faithfully recorded his dictionary items among a network of other native speakers over a 30-year period. This searchable online version of his book takes its text from ‘Part One’ of the fourth edition of 2014 and includes over 3000 word entries. The book preliminaries, supplementary word lists and end matter have been excluded.
divil ~ devil. divil’s boords/cairds playing-cards. divil’s breed any variety of large fungus, esp. growing on tree-trunks (e.g. polyporous giganteus). divil’s-churn-staff any tall, slender toadstool (Aughtercloney); the sun spurge (Ba); the mare’s-tail (G). divil’s-needle the crane-fly. divil’s-plug a supposed noxious blight on blackberries and raspberries while still wet following rain (E). go lake the divil travel very quickly. in spite o the divil despite any obstacle etc. put in the way (He’ll mak oot his putt, the same boy, in spite o the divil). rin tae the divil run thoughtlessly; travel any distance; go to any lengths (She wud rin tae the divil luckin a bargain). the divil’s in ye (said to a mischievous child or a wicked person). (See deil.) [divil’s-plug f. Sc. pluk name for various skin complaints (f. CSD)]
