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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.

Hole, Hoil(l, n. Also: hol, holle; hoyll(e. [ME. hole, OE. hole, dat. (holu pl.) of hol Holl n.; also OE. hola m. (ON. hola fem.).]

1. An opening, aperture; a gap or cavity.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 326.
Keparis of the presone That thru smal holis lokit done c1420 Wynt. i. 723.
In thare brestys ar holys twa; In stede of nes and mouth ar tha 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 146 b.
The haly body of Jhesu persit the graf and come throu it without ony hole ore apertore a1500 Seven S. 757.
He … boryt the bodome in holis all 1510 Edinb. Hammermen 70 b.
To Johne Bacar for rowmyne of the holis of the rod hers 1533 Boece xiii. vii. 513 b.
The wattir be holis and boris … enteris in housis a1540 Freiris Berw. 181.
Throw the wall he maid with his botkin A lytill hole(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 505.
Ane alde coble … , That mony hoilis in it had 1491 Treas. Acc. I. 184.
Til a masson to mak a hoylle and put the bot in 1529 Dundee B. Laws 546.
The hoill maid with ane chesall … on the est syd of the said dur 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 161.
To Dauid Graham, masoun, … for beiging up of dyvers hoillis … quhar the weit drafe in 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 22.
I thocht he gat in at ane narower hoill of the dyk na ony eardlie man could haue gane throw 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 340.
To … leave ane four nuikit hoill in the croun of the said voult 1657 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 364.
To … tak ane vew of the brockin hoillis in the commoun wayis 1670 Peebles B. Rec. 398.
To poynt and mend the hoilles of the outsyde of the toun wall

b. The anus, fundament. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2174.
Lift vp hir clayis, kis hir hoill

2. An excavation, a pit, cave.See also lime-hole, Lime-holl n. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2488.
So the hole oure-coverit was With thornes, breres, and with gras a1500 Henr. Fab. 590.
The feyndis infernall, Quhilk houndit doun wes fra that heuinlie hall To hellis hole a1500 Seven S. 890.
Quhasa evire come throw the wall In that depe hole behufit to fall 1513 Doug. vi. iv. 4.
A dirk and profound cave … , A hieduus Hoill, deip gapand and grisly 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. 145 b.
Halff ane daiker of barkyt ledder quhair it lyes in the hoill 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI. 22.
He … knit ane lang corde about his middle waist, … and hang him in ane deip coilpat hoill

3. A hole in which to hide or be unseen; a hidingplace. 1375 Barb. xix. 668 (E).
The fox, that wes in full gret dout, Lukyt about sum hole [C. hoill] to se 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 158.
Then wist I nocht quhat hoill to hyde my heid a1568 Scott iv. 3.
Hant nocht in hoile or nuke, To hurt ȝour womanheid 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 45.
Quhair now, allace! in hoill and boir we byde 1596 Dalr. II. 397/3.
In chimlay nuikis, secreit hoilis, and sik priuat places

4. The lair or burrow of an animal. Also fig. a1500 Henr. Fab. 328.
The burges vp with that, And till hir hoill scho went as fyre on flint Ib. 2080.
The cadgear wald haif raucht the foxe ane rout, Bot … he wan his hoill that day 1513 Doug. v. iv. 103.
Als swyftly as the dow affrayit doith fle Furth of hir hoyll 1535 Stewart 57240.
He … bad him cum out of that toddis hoill, And gif him feild 1570 Sat. P. xxiv 77.
Thair sall ȝe se ȝour bastard bischop blist Out of his hoill weill houndit lyke ane tod

5. A dungeon or prison cell. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1017.
Wee haue gart bind him with ane poill, And send him to the theifis hoill 1625 Peebles B. Rec. 413.
For careing the yrones fra brockis hoill to the steipill 1643 Dunferm. Ann. 310.
Being detained … in the laiche thieves' hole, shoe hangit hersel