The Term Dottle

novicemaker · May 19, 2014

How did it come about, when was it first used to describe the stuff at the bottom of a tobacco pipe :?:
im curious because i know the term dottling as is dont dottle come along.
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sailorjeremy · May 19, 2014

Heres what I found:
Old English dott 'head of a boil'. The word is recorded only once in Old English, then not until the late 16th century, when it is found in the sense 'a small lump or clot', perhaps influenced by Dutch dot 'a knot'. The sense 'small mark or spot' dates from the mid 17th century.
I believe THIS ^ is from where the word was derived. However, it is believed that the first recorded use of the word "Dottle" was in 1825 and used at that time to specifically describe what we know today as a dottle.

novicemaker · May 19, 2014

see history is full of fun facts that can relate to pipes. thanks SJ

bigvan · May 19, 2014

Novice, I think you're confusing it with the word "dawdle".

novicemaker · May 19, 2014

yea i know, figured that out after a while. I am one of those people that if i dont use a word often i cant for the life of me spell it if it comes up.

admin · May 19, 2014

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misterlowercase · May 19, 2014

Interesting question, gladya axed it!
Surprisingly, Wikipedia has a pretty great entry,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dottle
From an 1899 Shropshire newspaper article:

"He hokid da dottle oot 0' his pipe, an' hatt hit i' da fire"

What about dottle gruel, sounds like a yummy good stew eh?

From Alice in Wonderland,
http://books.google.com/books?id=PPhGid-3aigC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=%22dottle+gruel%22&source=bl&ots=lw4umkxDSv&sig=0nt-IJDbocbTL5HXIiQpALKCHbE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-wx6U6GMLNKTqAa3j4K4Bw&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22dottle%20gruel%22&f=false
From Kipling:

"Ortheris shot out the red-hot dottle of his pipe on the back of the hairy fist. 'They say 'Ell's 'otter than that,' said he, as Mulvaney swore aloud. 'You be warned so.'"

If you have a stash of multiple dottles, say in a Persian slipper like Sherlock, would the more appropriate plural term of dottrel be proper?

:puffpipe:

dottiewarden · May 19, 2014

Interesting question, gladya axed it!
Surprisingly, Wikipedia has a pretty great entry,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dottle

Great link misterlowercase, as it explains why I rarely get any dottle forming in the bottom of the bowl. This is a "must read" for anyone new to the hobby!

settersbrace · May 19, 2014

We are all a bunch of Geeks, you know that, right??
I hit the link and now if anyone ever asks me I can give a complete definition as well as the origin of the word. Man, I got to get a life. ;-)

daimyo · May 19, 2014

Good question and an informative answer/wiki link. Thank you for the information.

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