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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.

Lintel(l, Lintal(l, n. Also: lynt- and -elle, -ale, -ail(l, -ill, linttle, lentell, -al, and Linten. [ME. (1388, Wyclif) and e.m.E. lyntel(l, lyntall, lintel, OF. lintel threshold (F. linteau lintel).]

1. A lintel (of stone or timber); also, a piece of masonry suitable to be a lintel.In the plur. inflected and also (as a collective) without inflection.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 118.
The Lord within thir dayis three Sall law under thy lyntell bow, And in thy hous sall herbrit be 1513 Treas. Acc. V. 24.
To the forsaidis masonis at the upputting of the lintellis of the said place 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 271.
xj pece lang lintell 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 287.
For hewing of xxviij rebettis and twa lang lintellis 1624 Blair Autob. 73.
His foot was in the midst of the fire, [he] holding the lintel with both his hands 1629 Justiciary Cases I 103.
The straik quhairof [a sword] the lyntell beiris the mark 1683–90 Soc. Ant. LIV. 244.
Pay'd to the masons a quart of aile at the putting on of every lintell(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 39.
Syne Deid castis up his ȝettis wyd, Saying, ‘ … Albeid that thow were never sa stout Undir this lyntall [M. lintell] sall thow lowt’ 1512 Prot. Bk. J. Foular (S.R.S.) II. 150.
In the forsaid wal of his said land … lintale rabits soile and put for a loft dure 1512 Old Ross-shire II. 56. 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 26.
For ix draucht of sparris for bandis and lintallis to the lugis 1530 Ib. 53.
To the quareouris … for ix peis vi futis lentht in lyntalis muldry 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 142. 1555–6 Ib. 188.
To bring twa lang treis … to the Newhevin to be lintallis to the land pannell 1620 Edinb. Test. L. 287.
Of hewin stane werk sic as soleis, rebatis, lintallis(c) 1521 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 174.
Wytht ane foirlintaill of tre, … the lyntail of stane 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 65.
For iiij pecis aslar for seill and lyntaill to the tua over durris(d) 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 161.
For casting furth of ij lyntillis abone the wobsteris quhare thai wrocht … xij d. 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 368.
To the quarieris for … wining of ane grit lintill and tua grit crownellis 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 75.
Agreed with W^m Aitkin for the 3 chimneyes dressing with new lintills(e) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 98.
For beting of the wallis and … lentalis layin 1611–12 Ib. 338.
For heighting the lentell of ane schemlay

2. Attrib. a. Lintell stane, stone; a stone to be a lintel; a lintel of stone. 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 419.
Twa lyntell stanis 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. (M.C.) 50.
For the thre lintall stanes to the bois windois xij s. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 75.
Finding the lentell stane of the bak ȝet to be sumquhat laiche, he cawsit his man to lift off the lentell 1629 Orkney Witch Trial in County Folk Lore III. (1903) 106.
She fellit hirselff upoun the lintell stane of hir hyre 1680 Stirling Common Good 153 b.
For ane lintell stone to the charter hous

b. Lintell aill (eall), a gratuity of drink given to the builders when a building job was completed as far as the lintels. 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 357.
To the maisounis for the founding drink and lentell ayle xxiiii s. 1618 Ib. II. 129.
For ther lintell aill 1647 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 38 b.
For 2 lintellis wining leading and lintell aill to his pane at … 00: 15: 00 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 107.
For eall againe to the masons, quariers and others at carting the flags for the stanks, linttle eall and soll eall 0, 14, 0 1702 Ib. 307.
For lintill eall to the men when the door of the allarpark was put up