Sc. and north. Also 6 spurtill, 9 -il, -el, spirtle, spurkle, etc. [Of doubtful origin: cf. SPARTLE sb.]
1. † a. A flat implement used for turning oat-cakes, etc. Obs. b. A wooden stick for stirring porridge, etc.; a potstick or thivel.
15[?]. in Bannatyne MS. (Hunter. Club), 388. Ane spurtill braid, and ane elwand.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 38. The preast (said he) standis upon Sounday, and cryes, Ane hes tynt a spurtill.
1677. Nicolson, in Trans. R. Lit. Soc. (1870), IX. 320. Spurtle, a piece of wood for turning oaten cakes.
1725. in Herd, Sc. Songs (1776), II. 143. A spurtle and a sowen mug.
1776. Our Goodman, Ibid., 173. Muckle hae I seen; But siller-handed spurtles Saw I never nane. Ibid., Gloss. 266. Spurtle, a flat iron for turning cakes.
1808. Jamieson, s.v., A wooden or iron spattle, for turning bread, is called a spirtle, Ang[us].
1839. Wilson, Tales, V. 370/1. The lid of the pot in one hand, and the spurtle in the other.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, xxi. 190. [She was] standing with the porridge spurtle in her hand.
2. transf. A sword. Also attrib.
1670. J. Fraser, Polichron. (S.H.S.), 486. Then the King will say, Ift please your Grace put up your spurtle, Peter!
1789. Burns, On Capt. Grose, v. But now hes quat the spurtle-blade, And dog-skin wallet.
1822. Galt, Sir A. Wylie, lxxvi. The spurtle, as he peevishly called the sword.