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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.

Ege, Egge, n. Also: eyge, eige, edge, eadge, aidge, aige, age. [ME. egge, OE. ecge, nom. ecg.]

1. The edge of a weapon.(a) c1420 Wynt. iii. 28.
Than gert he ma A scharpe suerd wytht edgys [C. eggis, W. egis] twa 1432 Acts II. 21/2.
Gif he hurtis … with fellone assailȝeing withe ege or vre, he sal remayn in preson 1456 Hay II. 44/31.
The suerd is … maid with tua egeis 1513 Doug. xi. xiv. 26.
Quharto bair we thir steill egis in fyght Ib. xii. v. 216.
Onto hys chyn the egge dyd carvyn doun 1533 Boece ii. ii. 60.
Ane nakit swerde with twa eggis Ib. x. xiv. 383.
Danis … war accustumyt to fecht erare poyntlingis than to strike with the ege 1578 Acts III. 100/2.
The schott of the cannone and ege of the suord(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 404 (B).
We sall nevir sleip a wink Till it be bak or age [Ch. eadge] 1603 Moysie 126.
The Spaynyeard … pat many to the aidge of the suorde

2. An edge or edging, in various senses. 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 237.
For thre tymir of fyne pured grece to the cuffis, collair, eggis, and purphaif of the said goun 1547–9 Liber Offic. S. Andree 140.
Vnam peluem et lauacrum argenti … deaurata, vulgariter, giltet about the eggis and extremiteis 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. MS. 149.
Tua dousoun fir spairis to be eiggis in the buriall ȝaird; … to ane wrycht for graithing of the tymmer to the eiggis 1586 Ib. 258.
Ane gret schoull of iryne laid with steill in the egge thairof for patteling of the kirk flourfig. c1616 Hume Orthog. 10.
In this opinion I se an ege of judgement

3. The crest of a sharp ridge. Occas. in place-names. 1455 Acts II. 44/1.
At Soltray ege 1513 Doug. vii. xiii. 42.
Of Rutuly the hilly knowis hee, Or camy eyge, and holtis fair to se Ib. viii. viii. 55.
Apon the egge of the Hetruscan hillys 1533 Boece xiv. xv. 569 b.
Scottis … apoun the ege of ane hill stude in ordoure 1570 Leslie 163.
The king of Scotland … gaderit ane gret armye … and come to Soutray ege 1596 Brechin Test. I. 144 b.
Johne Paterson, cotter in Windiaige 1600-1610 Melvill 169.
The hillis of Lamermure-age 1603 Moysie 115.
The hill beyond Nithrie called Edmestoun eadge