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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Samekil(l, -mikill, -muche, Swamekill, adj., n. and adv. Also: sua- and -mekle, -meikill, etc., -mickle, -mykyl, etc., semeikle and so mekill, -meykyll, -mickle, muche, etc. (See Mekil(l, Mikil(l, Much, etc.). [North. ME swa mykel (Rolle), early ME swa muchel (c1175), sswo muchel (a1200), ME so mekyll (15th c.), OE swa micel; Sa adv. VI.]

1. a. adj. So large, great, much, in senses of Mekil(l adj., Mikil(l adj. and Much adj.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 315.
We lyff in-to sa mekill dreid a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 43.
It [sc. a loch] is sa mykil, lang & brade 1456 Hay I 212/16.
Thai occupyit that duchery … in samekle hye and grete honour that [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS I 8/27.
And samekle is the mercy of God that [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS I 169/24.
Sum men has thair nether lipe samekle that it coweris thair face fra the son 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 106.
Thai haue samekill wark ado 1513 Doug. ii i 36.
Thai mervellit fast the hors samekill was 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4630.
Sa muche blude(b) 1567 Crim. Trials I i 497.
But the barrel was so meikle, it could not be gottin in at the duur

b. absol. as n. So much, such a large amount: see Mekil(l n. 8 b, Mikil(l n. 2 (7).(a) 1375 Barb. x 354.
Thar suld sa mekill be ado a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1281.
And thus thy freind sa mekill of thé mais Is countit ane of thy maist felloun fais a1500 Seven S. 1566.
For he had done hir mekle gud That menyst samekle of hir ill blud 1529 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 100.
And, failȝeand herof that thair be nocht sameikyll contenit in that croft, to pay [etc.](b) c1420 Bute MS fol. 141.
Ye come wrangwysly & agayn the law tuke and destroyit swamykyl & cetera takyn fra T of k

c. adv. To such a large extent, so greatly, so much: see Mekil(l adv. 9 c, Mikil(l adv. 3 (6). ?1438 Alex. ii 9016.
Samekill thay thole trauell and hete 1456 Hay II 93/4.
For than suld nocht the peple desyre samekle nouthir to here na se thair naturale lorde a1500 Seven S. 1605.
Ȝe trast samekle in ȝour sagis 1490 Irland Mir. I 12/3.
Sene I speik samekile of wisdome 1551 Hamilton Cat. 77.
Samekil is the lufe of God and our nychbour fessinit … togidder that [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 39/9.
Thay baitht regairdit the common weill samekill and preferit the samin to all previe quarrellis 1602 Davidson Three Reformers 142.
Whilk must be sameikle the mair painfull … because [etc.]

2. adj., absol. as n. and adv. Equally much, the same amount (of), as much.(1) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 6.
He sal ȝelde to the kyng i c ky gif he samekle has in catal 1471 Aberd. B. Rec. I 31.
The alderman … inquirand gif ony vthir man wald gif mare, and fand na man that wald gif samekil 1503 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 48.
And to pay v sh. for euery boll … becaus it was sufficiently previt the said corne was samekle of waile in tyme of the spoliacioun therof 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 20.
Thai may find vacand ane vther maling efferand to the sext pairt forsaid of samekle maill and dewiteis within the said baronie 1566 Edinb. B. Rec. III 226.
Quhairthrow the saidis merchandis wantis samekill of the said skynne at the craig 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 242.
Thomas Kirkwode … to mak service to David Eister … for viij s. iiij d. borrowit … be him fra the said David and that for sick space as utheris us to mak the like service for samekle money 1575 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 269.
In sa far as the said Wm. Idill … mycht haue had samekill profeit of the saidis landis of Dipstoune … yeirlie … and he had beine sufferit to peaceablie laubour and occupy the saids landis a1578 Pitsc. I 340/19. 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 90.
The said Herbert … to pay the said James the sowm of ten punds money … and that becaus the said James prewit sufficientlie … his challeng in production of condempnitour obtenit of samekill 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 79.
The said toun sall pey the said James the said soum at the said tyme … and samekill quarterly(b) 1396 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 31 (see Mikil(l adj. 1 (12)).
Swa mykl 1505 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 106.
Of the … selleris of fische … of ilk hors … ane halfpenny, or swamekil of the stufe(2) 1490 Irland Mir. II 9/21.
xlvi dais anens the man and twys samekle anens the woman(3) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
How euersamekill or quhatsumeuer it be that is dowry assignyt … til ony woman … scho may neuer chalangis mar

b. A certain unspecified amount, ‘so much’.(a) c1420 Bute MS fol. 141 (see Mikil(l n. 2 (7)). c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts v 8.
‘Woman, say to me, quhethir ye sald the feeld for samekile?’ And scho said, ‘Ye, for samekile’ 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 16.
That scho awcht him sa mekill 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 523.
Nor yit exprimand quhat vther money … was hyd … nor yit the quantite thairof or that samekle gold and siluer was hyd … nor that ony was hyd 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 233.
The said Joⁿ tennent thairto as kindlye payand thairfor conform to the rentell as samekill 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 14.
Geif he inlakis, the principal sal deduce sa mekle of hys gagis(b) 1569 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 166.
Lord Robert shall pay to him so mickle silver, victuall, and goods

c. Const. following as (also then, that) introducing a clause of comparison. Also with ellipsis of as.(1) 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxvii.
That samekle as was unpait … suld be pait to Jahane Boner 1551 Hamilton Cat. 215.
To put out of his mynd (samekil as he may) all thochtis [etc.] 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 163.
Semeikle 1584 Conv. Burghs I 193.
Ather [to] bring or send his customes, or at the leist sa mekill thairof as he salhappin to have customed 1586 Reg. Cupar A. II 294.
Robert Portar … has bene infeft of auld … in samekle aill, brede [etc.] … as ony monk 1622-6 Bisset II 236/15.
Under the pane of tynsell of samekill as they ar gadged for Ib. 243/6. a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 40.
Samikle of his annexed property as may serue [etc.](b) 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V 43.
The said myllers … sall tak in all malt … swamekill … as the mylnis will had 1597 Ib. 203.
That swamekill be tayne upoun the commoun guid … as may owtred the payment of the said nychtbouris 1598 Ib. 224.
And jeisting and lofting prepayret for swamekill as sall be augmentit 1622 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 91.
Receiveing him … to somickel of the lands … as he presentlie possesses. … Witt … lykas wee be the tenor heirof … receives the said Andro Smith … in sua mickle of the lands(c) 15.. Sc. Hist. Rev. L 113.
To tak on ȝow so meykyll pain As [etc.] 1622 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 90 (see (b) above).(2) 1498 Acta Conc. II 177.
Withhalding fra thame … of samekle a soume of money as [etc.](3) ?1438 Alex. ii 3888.
The Bauderane couth nocht of the play Samekill as sho c1515 Asl. MS I 153/29.
The breid of the erth … is scant half samekle as the lenth 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
Saying that thai had enterit thame in dangeare and not supportit in mister samekill as to cum [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 139.
Thair wes nawther ane word betuix the Scottis ambassatouris, sameikill as ane regaird [pr. degaird] 1576 Orkney Oppress. 48.
Thair was not ane in that parochin … that had samikle as ane gryis 1596 Dalr. I 30/12.
Nocht sa mekle as ane are of wind wil be harde — c1590 Fowler II 20/9.
Not samekil the occasioun of lauchter … then … the mater of meruel — 1456 Hay I 187/28.
We have nane samekle as fa … as a familier inymy(4) 1688 Dunferm. Hammermen MS p. 18.
That na cuttellar sall tak in hand to dicht ane sword or grind it how sameikill as he drawis out in fyre to grind it(5) 1564 in Knox VI 306.
For somuche as thou art our Father, and we be but earth and slyme(6) c1550-c1580 Art of Music 19b.
Colur … is of principall figuris denigration of the quhilk the strentht is so mekill that [etc.]