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peely wally adjective sickly, ill-looking, feeble: ‘Are you feeling alright? You are awfa peely-wally looking, if I may say so. 19-. etymology: Scots; originally probably imitative of a whining feeble sound; second element perhaps also connected to Scots wallie ‘porcelain, glazed earthernware or tiling’; collected by EMcC/PS; attested by SR and SS note:

WG attests a personal folk etymology from Irish pill abhaile! Said by an Irish teacher to a sick child in the classroom.