speel

To speel is to climb or scale something, such as a wall or a hill.

Speel is a Scots term for climb that is primarily used in Scots, as well as in Scottish-English and Northern UK English dialects. It is normally used to describe climbing a short distance.

Speel can also mean to mount, as in to climb onto something, usually a horse.

This speel can also be spelled speil.

In Manchester, England, a speel is also a splinter of wood, such as one that is lodged in the skin.

Example: Let’s see how fast you can speel that hillside!

The first records of the verb speel in English come from around the 1510s. Its exact origin is unknown, but it may be a back formation from speeler, a Scottish term meaning “performer or acrobat.” The first records of the noun speel come from around the 1440s. It’s part of the dialect of English from Manchester, England, and is of Scandinavian origin.

The term spiel, meaning “an extravagant speech,” is often misspelled speil or speel and accounts for many instances of both spellings on social media.

What are some other forms related to speel?

• speil (alternative spelling)

What are some synonyms for speel?

• ascend
• climb
• mount
• splinter
• sliver

What are some words that often get used in discussing speel?

• hill
• mountain
• wall

What are some words speel may be commonly confused with?

• spiel

Is speel used correctly in the following sentence?

Ouch! I got a speel in my finger from that old ladder!