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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Coll, Col, n. Also: colle, koll. [ME. and OE. col, ON. kol. Cf. Cole n.¹]

1. = Cole n.¹ 1. Chiefly pl. 1453 Misc. Spald. C. V. 49.
For heddyr, peatis, and collis 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 379.
For collis to wyrk the irne grath with 1512 Dunferm. B. Rec. 186.
The wranguus takyne of a leid fra him of collis 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 71.
For the furnessing of the collis to the tolbuyth in the winter cessioun 1571–2 Haddington Treas. Acc.
Sex laid of collis that wes brunt in the tolbuith 1603 Montgomery Mem. 248.
Gifin to the man that gef me cols and temir to my chamber, ij s. 1629 M. Works Acc. XXV. 14 b.
For four bolles of kolles carying 1633 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 108.
Some colles are fund, in Earths profoundest cell 1643 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 7 b.
Peyitt for in aburd putting of … small collis 1702 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 63.
For 5 scor lods colls to Edmistons manfig. 1596 Dalr. II. 99/21.
Quhill a new fyr kendlet the alde col, a new strife steiret vp the alde diskyndnes

2. = Cole n.¹ 2. c1590 J. Stewart 86/219.
Vith cake [= chalk], vith coll, and pensile scharp alway 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI. 170.
[To cease from all] forder waisting or melling with the said coll 1605 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 266.
That na schip … be sufferit to enter … with wairis or merchandice, except coll and lymb 1639 Wemyss Chart. 226.
The restrent off [exporting] coll and salt 1660 Peebles B. Rec. 424.
Payd for ten stone of colle furnished to the gaird 1669 Wemyss Corr. 112.
The first shipe that was leade in my herbure of Methill with colle and salt 1696 Wemyss of Bogie MS.
He … brought his bark loadened with coalls and lyvered the said coll

3. The snuff of a candle. 1600-1610 Melvill 85.
The student colling his candle in a morning, the coll falles throw the laft

4. Attrib. and comb. with -bearer, black, bott (boat), ever (horse), gait, hous, riddell, -stailer (stealer). 1682 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VIII. 136.
Isobell Rae, colbearer — 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix. 37.
As by our col-blacke behauiour heerein we are lyke to doe to God — 1600-1610 Melvill 252.
We schippit in weill unadvysedlie, … in a coll-bott — c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxi. 15.
To colleveris than man I skip, That scabbit ar — 1587 Laing Chart. 284.
[Carbones] adducendi cum viis competentibus lie coll gaittis — 1633 M. Works Acc. XXV. 20 b.
Ane key to the kolhous dore — 1637 Brechin Test. V. 221.
Ane brokin tayings, ane coll riddell — 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 36.
He … offered to take a link from a boy, and therupon some of the colstailers fell upon him