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.
Cleve, Cleif, v.2 Also: clew(e, cleive, cleeve, cleyff; p.t. clewit, -yt, clawe, clafe, claif(e. [ME. cleve, early cleovien, OE. cleofian, clifian.] intr. To adhere, stick fast.(a) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1448.
With myis he wes swa wmbesete That … thai wald clew [C. cleyff] apon hys banys c1515 Asl. MS. I. 161/29.
In the syd of the hillis of Caspy salt vanys … weschis out humouris … & ioynis and cleiffis togiddire as glas a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 452.
Thy dirt clevis [B. cleivis] till hir towis this twenty yere c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 337/29.
Now first all clewis wnto anne othir c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii. 81.
The godlie men will still cleue to Gods wourd 1567 G. Ball. 104.
Lyke burris, thay cleif baith ane and all a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 136.
It makkis ws to cleif vnto the Lord(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 130.
The patyl his hand clewyt to, The muldebred quhen he suld mvk Ib. xxvii. 1006.
A gret bane … In-til his throit clewit sa faste, That he to de was sare agaste c1420 Wynt. vi. 1476 (W).
Thai cleiffit fast on his banys a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 680.
The purpour claith, quhilk clewit fast to his hid, … thai raif of him of force a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 52.
God … ay thair trublis turnit to the best, That constantlie wntill his cunnand clewit(b) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 148.
The scharpe stanis his flesch rafe, till gret pecis one thame clafe Ib. xxv. 134.
The tre til his hand clawe ay a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 601.
Quhill flesch and blude and claith togidder claife c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 59.
The claith that claif to his clere hyde, Thai raif away
