A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1547-1554, 1614-1700+
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(Dede-,) Deid-, Dead-bell, n. [Dede n.2 Cf. Eng. death-bell (1781).] A passing bell. 1547 Edinb. Hammermen 173.
For the ry[ng]ing of the deid bell 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 196.
That the dewite of the thre bellis and deid bell be vsit of the auld vs 1614 Edinburgh Testaments XLVIII. 42 b.
I leiue to the sessioun of the kirk of Calder ane dead bell beiring my name vpone the instap toune thairof 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 44.
That Iohne Clark … get the charge of the keiping of the deid bell 1696 Peebles B. Rec. II. 153.
The magistrats … continoues Thomas Patersone as ane officer and for ringing of the dead bell 1710 Stirling B. Rec. II. 124.
To paye to William Smith, hammerman, nyne pound … Scots for makeing the new dead bell
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"Dead-bell n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/dead_bell>
