A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Balefull, Bailfull, a. Also: bal-, bail-, belful; baile-, bealfull. [ME. bale-, balful, early ME. baluful, OE. bealoful. See Bale n.1]Only in poetry, and frequently in alliterative phrases.
1. Miserable, wretched, woeful.a1400 Leg. S. xii. 280 (his balful bayly). c1450-2 Howlat 953 (bailefull in beir). c1475 Wall. vi. 212 (the bailfull teris). c1420 Ratis R. 568 (bailful brest). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 416 (I busk as I wer bailfull). 1535 Stewart 12082 (ane bailfull beir of wemen). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 98 (of the pepill the bailfull cheir). a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xliv. 19 (my bailfull breist).
2. Baleful, dire, destructive.c1475 Wall. ii. 255 (that bailfull steid). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 855 (the balefull bandis of Beliall). a1500 K. Hart (this bailfull bargane). 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 18 (bailfull bessynes). 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 66 (that bailfull bribour); c1552 Id. Mon. 1125 (efter thare bailfull banesyng). 1573 Sat. P. xl. 25 (that bailfull bour of Babilone). c1590 J. Stewart 26/409 (sic bittir bailfull blast). 1626 Garden Worthies 127 (that bealfull bargane).
