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: 1456-1603
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Feill, Feil, n. Also fele, feile, feille. [ME. fele, feeling (a 1240), f. Fele v. From the late currency of the word in Sc. the usual spelling is with ei.]
1. Physical feeling; sensation. 1456 Hay I. 13/9.
Ane evill carnale fele … the quhilk … dampnis thair saulis perpetualy 1456 Ib. 234/4.
Quhen he herd ony wilde beste stalkand besyde him, be avys of his fele, he wald schute
2. Mental feeling, perception, knowledge, understanding. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 619.
As fer as I haiff feyll, Off lyklynes it may be wondyr weill a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 533.
Quhat lord is ȝone … haue ȝe na feill? a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2643.
He of augur has cunnyng In birdis voce and thair syngyng. The king said, ‘barne, haf ȝe sic fele?’ a1500 Bk. Chess 1146.
Ȝonge men thai war, nocht of experiens, In feit of weir that had bot litill feile c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 109.
Thow hes full lytill feill of fair endyte c1500-c1512 Ib. xliii. 17.
Thay haif grit feill, Ane mater to solist 1535 Stewart 7306.
Thou art vnsikkar baith of thi saw and feill 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3348.
Of my office gif ȝe wald haue the feill, I let ȝow wit, I haue it vsit weill 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8042.
Gif thow hes caus, thy self thow hes sum feill 1572 Satirical Poems xxxiii. 217.
Quhair is ȝour wit, ȝour ressoun, sence, and feill 1603 Philotus cxxvii.
Hes thow not tint thy feill, That takis thy wyfe to be ane deill
3. A feeling or idea; a shrewd suspicion. 1456 Hay II. 147/23.
Na lat thame never have a fele in quham thou fyes the maist a1500 Bk. Chess 496.
His moder gat a feile That in the counsall hous this child had bene a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 256.
How thy forbearis come, I haif a feill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 65.
Folk had ane feill … Thair hairtis wer baith on flocht 1513 Doug. v. Prol. 37.
Lyke as he had of euery thing a feill, And the willys of euery wight dyd feill 1535 Stewart 27724.
Ewgenius … had ane feill That Arthour thocht [etc.] 1535 Ib. 50695.
Becaus he had ane feill Of thair tressoun 1570 Satirical Poems xvii. 36.
Gif that he tuik sum pynis That mys to meud, I hope ȝe haif ane feill
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"Feill n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/feill>
