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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hale, Hail(l, v.¹ Also: haile, hayl. [Northern ME. hayle (15th c.), ME. halie, halen (c 1205), OF. haler.]

1. tr. To draw or pull; to drag or haul. (Freq. in nautical use.) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2402.
Ȝe man mak help vpwart, and it haill 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 119.
He … tharwith chargit ankyrris haill 1533 Boece xii. ii. 456 b.
[They] mychtely with thame halit cannys of wyne & aill indifferent 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 322.
For small towis to haill the tymmer 1591 Crim. Trials I. 238.
Gelis Duncan [etc.] … haillit ane coird att the brig, and the said Agnes Sampsone cryit ‘Haill, hola!’ a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 100.
Some … , Bothe foir and eft, our taikle drauis and haillis 1611-57 Mure True Crucif. 2826.
His hooke can haill the haughtiest by the noseabsol. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 617.
Of schipmen … , Sum bade ‘Haill’, and sum bade ‘standby’ 1549 Compl. 40/33.
Than ane of the marynalis began to hail a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvi. 15.
To pomp als oft as ȝe may haill a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 138.
Eviry man did by his taikling stand, To haill and drau

b. Freq. with adverbs of direction, as doun, out, up, or prep. phrases, as complements.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1698.
Thai … halit wp thare salis hie a1500 Henr. Fab. 2415.
Quha haillit him out, I wait not, off the well a1570-86 Shaw Maitl. F. cxlvi. 7.
On force ȝe mon Bolyn … and schete haie on 1513 Doug. iii. i. 48.
Thiddir I went, greyn bewis doune to haill 1549 Compl. 40/21.
The ankyr vas halyt vp abufe the vattir Ib. /26.
Hail eftir the foir sail scheit, hail out the bollene 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 158.
xij faddome of cords to haill up the uuer barcatts a 1568 Sat. P. xlvi. 30.
Haill on the fukscheit and the blind c1650 Spalding I. 273.
Ane Scottis schip … burdit be ane frigat, and haillit out perfors to sea 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 235.
To them [sc. workmen] for hailling out the broun horse when he died(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 758.
Ane bow he bent, ane flane … He haillit to the heid 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 108.
Pallynurus fyrst Hard halys the schete on syde 1533 Boece xvi. ii. 609.
Thai cryit miserably to the marinaris to haill thaim in the schip 1648 Lanark B. Rec. 136.
His souldiers laid violent hands upon what men they could find … and haled them to prisonfig. c1590 Fowler I. 148/xii/13.
To hayle to heaven through ioy 1639 Baillie I. 185.
The Canterburian faction … was hayling us all away to Rome for our religion

c. To haul in or take (fish). 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 131.
The tusk, a rare ... fish ... when new haled they are much more pleasant to eat then when salted and dryed

2. transf. To drink copiously. 1533 Boece xii. ii. 456 b.
Sweno ... mychtely with thame [his companions] halit cannys of wyne [etc.]