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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1420, 1474-1626
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Cove, Coif, n. Also: cowe; coyf(e, coyff, coife, coiff, coiue. [ME. cove, OE. cofa.] A recess in a rock; a cave.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 814.
In that roche … A cowe he had quhare he lay a1400 Ib. xxiii. 102.
Thai … rest has tane In a hol cowe vndir a stane c1420 Wynt. v. 167.
As thai herbryd were In tyll a gret cove and a depe, … Off that cove [etc.] c1420 Ib. 2947.
A dragowne fell Wndyr erd in a cowe lyis 1474 Prestwick B. Rec. 25.
That … na nychtburis … resav tham na thar gudis, nowdir in cove na in port 1513 Doug. viii. iv. 19.
Ȝon was a cavern or cove in ald days, … A grisly den 1531 Bell. Boece II. 178.
King Constantine wes tane, and brocht to ane cove beside the see 1533 Boece i. viii. 54.
In cavernis and covis thai made habitacioun ?1549 Monro W. Isles 13.
Certane towns, inhabite & manurit, with strenthie coves 1581 Burne Disput. 131.
As is manifest … of the covis in the quhilkis thay sumtyme did lurk 1596 Dalr. I. 47/25.
At the castel Slanes is a certane coue, quhairin water continualie drapping … turnes in a verie quhyte stane 1598 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 107 B/1.
They … careit [him] throw hillis, montanes, cowes, craiges … for the space of aucht oulkis(b) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 1467.
On to the coyff off Dunbartane thai ȝeid c1420 Wynt. ii. 1191 (C).
Than of that coif the mouythe gert he With stanys gret son dyttit be 1513 Doug. i. iv. 19.
Vnder the hyngand rokkis, was alswa Ane coif, and thairin fresch watir springand 1533 Boece x. xiv. 385.
King Constantine … was takin and led to ane coif beside the sey … This place was namyt the blak coiff 1544 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 250.
Ville nostre de Torry ac de le coif Halymannis Coif wlgariter nuncupate 1596 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ix. 36.
The coiff abowf Dulskellie 1600 Criminal Trials II. 250.
To the intent … that he being bund, thei micht haue stranglit him, and castin him in a coif, or pit 1622-6 Bisset II. 153/28.
He wes beheided in the Blak Coif in Fyfe(c) 1562-3 Winȝet II. 22/6.
The sanctis of God … amang the desertis, coiuis, wild beistis, and rolkes, … wes worne away a1568 Bannatyne MS 49 a/20.
He spairis thé nocht, in schip, nor bot, In coive, nor craig
