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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fadom(e, Faddom(e, n. Also: fadowme, -ame, -em; fad(d)um; faudom, fawdom(e, fawdoum, faldom(e, faldowme, foddome, fodome, fodame. [ME. and e.m.E. fadom(e, ME. fademe, -yme, fadme, OE. fæðm.]

1. A linear fathom: a. As a measure of rope or cord.(a) 1375 Exch. R. II. 509.
De cx fadome de cortyne cordis 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 359.
A tow of xxiiij fadom 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 291.
For xxxiij fadowme of hedetow 1555 Crim. Trials I. 380.
A kabell of 90 fadummis a1578 Pitsc. I. 186/13.
In the wther bose thair was ane certane fadame of cordis 1626 M. Works Acc. XIX. 5.
Threttie fadome off towis to ane creipper ffor outdrawing off the buckettis out of the well 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 88.
For rops 3 fadom to be helters 1702 Ib. 307.
For 14 fadoms of rope at 8^d the fadom for beds(b) 1552 Treas. Acc. X. 97.
xvj faddom of grete corde to hyng chandlaris in my lordis hall 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 285.
For xviij faddome of tow to draw the watter 1554–5 Ib. 300.
For twa faddom of ane greit cord to caus the greit bell streik the hours 1585 Rep. Elphinston Mun. 24.
Ane tow of fiftein faddome of thre insche greit 1617 Montgomery Mem. 276.
For sex faddum towis to my Lordis blak staig 1640–1 Misc. Spalding C. V. 156.
For thrie faddomes of towes, whan Harthill wes tein doun out of ward perforce(c) 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 291.
For viij^xx and vj fawdome of small pailȝoune tow, ilk fawdome ij d. 1508 Ib. IV. 125.
For … xx fawdoum small toll to the bancat 1538 Soc. Ant. II. 403.
A great towe conteinand fyftie faudomis 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 236.
Ane pece of new tow … contenand vij fawdoum 1566 Rec. Earld. Orkney 377.
Ane small tow of fourty fawdome or thairby(d) 1510 Rentale Dunkeld fol. 90.
Vigintiquinque lie faldome corde 1538 Treas. Acc. VI. 420.
For xiiij faldome of grete towis to bynd the cofferis 1549 Compl. 103/3.
As Kyng Eduard did til Scottis men … , quhen he gart put the craggis of sextein scoir in faldomis of cordis 1572 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 383.
For ij faldowme of ane tow to the gryt bell 1631 Peebles B. Rec. 416.
For thrie faldome towis to bind the wiches hands(e) 1585 Rep. Elphinston Mun. 24.
Ane tow of nyne foddome of four inche 1627–8 Peebles B. Rec. 415.
For fywe foddome of cordis to fessone the ledderis 1651–2 Ib. II. 192.
Item, nyne fodame towis 1652 Stirling B. Rec. II. 318.
For 22 fodome of towes to the knoke paces

b. As a measure of cloth. 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 308.
Twa faddome of unblechit Holand clayth

c. In other contexts. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 244/29.
[He] falȝeit na schot within a faldome quhar it was chargit him to hit 1508 Reg. Cupar A. I. 274.
At the said net salbe xxxiiij fawdome of lintht, and four fawdome of breid 1530 Reg. Soltre 98.
Four rukkis off gud and sufficient hay ilk ruk contenand sex faddomis about c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1726.
The wallis of that wark they maid Two and fyftye faldome braid a1578 Pitsc. I. 405/23.
The watter was foure fadome deip quhair the ost come ower ?1549 Monro W. Isles 62.
Theris ane cove … quherin the sea fallis, and is twa fadome deepe at the ebb sea

2. A measure of peat, wood, etc. 1564 Orkney & Sh. Rec. I. 150.
Pro qualibet lie faddome de octodecim lie faddomes petarum, vulgo auchtene faddomes peittis appellatas 1584 Reg. Great S. 264.
Cum 56 lie faddomes glebarum (vel 18 den. prolie faddome … ) 1594 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 119.
Ane jadge of irne … to be ane mesure of the faddome of burne wod 1614 Dundee Shipping L. 245.
Sum bills of aikin tymer and thrie faldomes of wood 1646 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 213.
5 fadom and 5 quartirs off ane ell of craig att 35 lib. the fadom