Sc. and north. dial. Also 8–9 taanle, tawnle, 9 taunle, tannel. [perh. an altered form of ON. tandr, tandri fire = OHG. zantaro, zantro, MHG. zanter, zander: but the history is incomplete.] A large fire in the open air, a bonfire; esp. one made at certain seasons in the year, as on May Day, Midsummer Eve, or the first of November.
1788. Picken, Now-a-days, Poems, 62. Thae flirds o’ silk … Had I our doghter’s at a candle, They’d mak’ a been an’ rowsan tandle.
1793. Statist. Acc. Scotl., VII. 622. An antient practise … of kindling a large fire, or tawnle as it is usually termed, of wood.
1802. Sibbald, Scot. Poetry, Gloss, s.v., The custom of kindling large fires or Taanles, at Midsummer, was formerly common in Scotland.
1845. New Statist. Acc. Scotl., V. 223. The custom of the baal-fire or Tannel is still observed on the last day of July, St. Margaret’s Day.
1887. J. Service, Dr. Duguid, iv. 28. Bigging great taunles on the holms o’ the Garnock.
