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.
Fell, Fel, a. Also: felle, feile, feill. [ME. fell(e, fel, OF. fel. Before 1560 only in verse.]
1. Of a fierce or cruel disposition; ruthless. a. Of persons.1375 Barb. ii, 193.
Thar wes nane off lyff sa fell, Sa pautener, na sa cruell a1400 Leg. S. iv. 306.
Thocht he was bath fel and bawld, Ȝet hym forthocht his mysdede Ib. vii. 114, etc.
O ȝe fel folk of Israel, quhat do ȝe now? c1420 Wynt. i. 304.
In tyll this tyme … Was geawndys walkand fers and fell Ib. iii. 852, etc.
Thare the Medys war so felle, … That mony douchty thai gert de c1450-2 Howlat 598.
Thire armes of eld Bure the erll of Murray … His fell fais till affray Ib. 741.
Now … make ws fre Fro fendes that fell is a1500 Rauf C. 877.
Fie on thy fechting! fell hes thow bene c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 5.
Me thocht amangis the feyndis fell Mahoun gart cry ane dance 1535 Stewart 34966.
Ane fellar freik wes nane that mycht be foud a1568 Scott ii. 4.
The grit debait … Betuix twa freikis fell c1590 J. Stewart 46/121.
Through fellest fois that fumit fast in feild … he gois
b. Of animals.a1400 Leg. S. iv. 344.
A fel dragon com tham till Blawand fel fyre one tham Ib. xxxvii. 371; etc.
It suld … be eteyne of fel bestis thare c1420 Wynt. vi. 323.
A serpent all wgly … Fell apperand and venenows c1475 Wall. xi. 96.
A fell lyoun the king has gert be brocht Within a barrace c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 57.
That scorpioun fell 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 53.
[To] bargane … Agane the cruell pepill, or byrdis fell 15.. Clar. i. 1113.
The King … thankit him … For slauchter of the lyoun wode and fell a1568 Bann MS. 145 a.
Foxis ar fell at crawing cokkis
2. Of character or acts: Marked by ferocity, anger, or violence.1375 Barb. xix. 6.
Covatis … Gert lordis of full gret renoune Mak a fell coniuracioune Agane Robert c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2152.
Sche tuke so cruell hart and fell Aganis this Diomede c1420 Wynt. ii. 1130.
Quhen Josue full wyttyng gat That he dissawyd wes, … He arguyt thame on fel manere a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 570.
Thus thai faught vpone fold, with ane fel fair 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 99.
Lynceus … Resistys, as he myght, with fell afferis 1567 G. Ball. 104.
Thay now conspyre with cruell hart and fell 1572 Sat. P. xxv. 26.
Thai … accused hir With serpent wordis fell
b. Of battle or fighting.1375 Barb. xv. 10.
Thai yschit out … till assale Thair fois in-to fell battale Ib. 486.
Quhen that the fichting fellest was c1420 Wynt. ii. 1210.
A fell were ras … And a dispetews in thai dayis Ib. iv. 721.
Than ras the fycht bath fers and felle c1475 Wall. i. 109.
Erle Patrik then, quhen fechtyng was fellast, Till our fa turnd Ib.v. 834.
Hardy and hate contenyt the fell mellé 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 33.
Thou mycht alsso … A fell ontellabill batal rays 1535 Stewart 2869.
Fell wes the faucht, and rycht strang wes the stour c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3646.
Allexander … In battell fell and furious Vincuste the mychtie Darious
3. Of pains, illness, mishaps, etc.: Severe, grievous, painful.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 211.
Of the panis fers and fell, That thai sall hawe that ar in hell Ib. xv. iii.
Thymone the fel fewire sa Trawalyt c1420 Wynt. vi. 1442.
Till a lord hapnyd a fell chans; … Wyth myis he wes swa wmbesete a1500 Henr. III. 120/60.
The feveris fell & eild sall gar thé fald a1500 Seven S. 995.
Ȝour misfortoun sall be als fell As did a burges I herd tell 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 41.
Thou art mair forcy than the ded sa fell 1560 Rolland Seven S. 157.
Scho tuke ane fell passioun And ane lang space scho lay in deidly swoun c1590 J. Stewart 73/26.
Vith feuir new and fell … assoupit dois scho smart(2) 1375 Barb. ii. 364.
Thai … swa fell strakys gave and tuk a1400 Leg. S. iv. 113.
Of God the angel … Band vs with chenȝeis fel & sar Ib. xxxiii. 520.
The wiche thane … a fere fellare poysone made c1420 Ratis R. 299.
Outrag[e] … is in rutis fals and fell c1475 Wall. ii. 244.
The flux he tuk in to thar presoune fell Ib. iv. 100.
Fell tithingis was brocht Persie beforn c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 78.
With ane poysone that was fell 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 25.
Athir serpent … with thar cruell byt and stangis fell … tuke mony sary morcell 1567 G. Ball. 17.
Christ, … with his bludie woundis fell
4. Of natural forces: Violent, strong. Esp. of the weather: Severe, inclement.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xlix. 133.
The vedir is fel & il c1420 Wynt. ii. 403.
Ranys … Fowrty dayis wytht forsys fell Schot out thare schowrys 1456 Hay I. 58/3.
The frost and snaw was sa fell, and sa stark weder a1500 Rauf C. 74.
The wedderis ar sa fell, that fallis on the feild Ib. 731.
How the frostis war sa fell 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 140.
I … Schupe with hayt flambe to fleym the fresyng fell Ib. xii. viii. 23.
Lyke as the bub or plaig of fell tempest 1535 Stewart 53358.
Ane greit tempest thair hapnit in the se, Of wynd and wall the fellest that micht be c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 392.
Mont Caucasus … Quhilk montane is … all excandidate With snawis fell(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1735.
And tharwith all the fell fyre-flaucht Come frome the hewine c1420 Wynt. iv. 1409.
A fell subversyowne and suddayne Had hale the cyte nere ouretane Ib. vii. 2988.
A fell fyre hym to colys brynt 1513 Doug. ix. ii. 99.
Myxt with reik the fell sparkis of fyre Heich in the air vpglydis 1567 Sat. P. iii. 119.
Quhome Josua in flambis fell did burne
5. Extreme in degree or intensity. In later use: Great, considerable.a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 225.
Thi fel frawardnes do away c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2276.
I gat a fell fray c1420 Wynt. iii. 56.
Fra thai had bade lang tyme wyth out Thai ware in to the fellare dout Ib. viii. 7009.
Wyth that takyn he gave hym state Off his fell presumptyown c1450-2 Howlat 875.
To reforme the howlot of faltis full fell a1500 Henr. Fab. 2557.
To set ȝour maister in sa fell effray c1475 Wall. viii. 203.
The defendouris was off so fell defens, Kepyt thar toun a1500 Doug. K. Hart 81.
Feistis fell and full of jolitee 1562-3 Winȝet I. 99.
At this place … Iohne Knox maid a fel farde 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 771.
Ȝe haue ressounis fell 1645 Baillie II. 310.
Savill's business made a fell sturr among us
