Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Male, Mail(l, n.² Also: maile, meal(l. [North. e.m.E. maile (1511), otherwise appar. only Sc., ON. mál time, meal-time: corresp. to ME. mele, meel, e.m.E. meal(e, OE. mǽl id.]

1. A time or occasion for taking food, a meal-time; food taken on such an occasion, a meal or repast. = Melteth n. 1.Meall of meat and drink, id. Also fig. At (the) maill, at a repast, at food taken at a meal-time.(1) c1460 Dietary (S.T.S.) 67.
Betuix malys drink nocht for na plesand delit c1500 Makc. MS. xiv. 67. 1600-1610 Melvill 147.
Ordinarlie thar, meall about, the students opened upe a chapter Ib. 699.
To refresche our selffis … with cairdis and uthir games after mailis 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 430.
Euerie maile, noone, and evin, the trynsheour salbe laid doun 1622-6 Bisset II. 256/9.
The marineris of Brytan aucht to have bot ane maill on ane day, … and they of Normandie aucht to have twa maillis of the kitching in the day 1650 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 232.
Maills 1685 Marchmont P. III. 58.
So as all had a sufficient maile(2) 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 13.
viij s. and ane meall of meat 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 132.
Twelve s. scots for 3 meall of meat and drink to ane [shoe] maker 1679 Ib. No. 286.fig. ?1661-5 M. Bruce Soul-Confirmation 20.
And I tak down the knapsack and I take a 20 years old experience … and I will sit down and take a meal of meat of it(3) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 215.
The meriest war menskit on mete, at the maill [: saill, vaill, taill] 1637 Wariston Diary I. 274.
Eyther apairt, or at mail in my familie

2. An occasion of milking of a cow or cows, a milking. = Melteth n. 2.e.m.E. meal in the same or a similar sense (1613–). 1697 Donaldson Husbandry Anatomized 86.
Take what milk you have of your kine at one mail