Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pleuch-stilt, n. Also: plewch-, pleugh-, plewghand -stilth, -still(t. [e.m.E. plough stylte (1523).]

1. A plough-handle.In the conveying of arable land sometimes passed into the new proprietor's hand as symbolic of the change in possession. 1581 Laing Chart. 256.
[The sheriff-depute] deliverit the plewch stilt in the said Davidis handis vpone the arabill grownd thairof 1587 Carmichael Etym. 23.
Buris, a pleuch stilt 1599 Reg. Privy C. V. 555.
[Where the complainer was] ganging at the pleuch … [they] persewit him of his lyffe betuix the pleuch stiltis 1622 Perth Kirk S. 14 Jan.
The maisteris of hospitall to sett ane tak of Mathow Lamb … and … to enter the said Mathow to the saidis landis be the pleuch stilt 1638 Sc. Ant. I. 28.
[The officer] enterit the said Jhon Maij in & to the … reall possessioun … be teeling and earing with … Jhon May his own pleuch & guds of ane litle … portion … as representing the remanent lands … and therefter be putting of the said Jhon betuixt the pleugh stilts & causing him … to teel [etc.] 1685 Elgin Rec. I. 336.
Betuixt the pleugh stiltis

2. Only in Kirkcudbright: As a unit of land measure ment.Also in the Galloway dialect of the early 18th c. = half a ploughgate. Appar. obs. in this sense after 1724.Cf. Pleuch-hede n. b. 1579 Edinb. Test. VII. 147.
I leue … to Johne Maxuell my sone the kyndnes of the pleuch still of Kirkbene with the croft of the Pow syde 1665 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 96.
Plewgh stilt 1668 Galloway P. 14 Feb.
The plewghstilth of Nether Ersik 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 385.
Pleugh stillt 1672 Galloway P. 8 June.
Of the halff of a pleugh stilt