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.
Fiften(e, Fyften(e, num. Also: fiftein(e, -tine; fyftein(e, -teyne, -tyne; fyfeten, -teyne, -tine, fyiftene, -teine; fyveten(e, -teine, fywten, -tein, fiwten, fivetene, -teine. [ME. fiften(e, fyften(e, also five-, fyveten(e, OE. fífténe, fíftýne.]
1. Fifteen: a. Attributive.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 230.
Thar fayis war may then thai Be fiften hunder 1492 Acta Conc. 226/1.
Fiftene ȝoung ky with calffis 1507 Edinb. Chart. 191.
For the space of acht dais or fiftene dais 1583 St. A. Test. II. 2 b.
Fiftene bollis ait maill(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 169.
He … thar wes fullely fyften ȝere c1420 Wynt. iii. 509.
Quhen that he wes … Off fyftene yhere eld 1546 Reg. Cupar A. II. 35.
Fyftyne bollis … of gude sufficient bere 1567 Edinb. Test. I. 25 b.
Fyfteine dowbill ducattis 1596 Dalr. II. 27/18.
In this feild ware slane of Inglismen fyftine hunder 1598 Acts IV. 175/2.
The fyftein sous pece … at fyftein schillingis 1599 Crim. Trials II. 81.
He … sould haif bene summond vpone a fyftene dayis wairning 1618 Edinb. Test. L. 165.
Fyfteine cloik craigis buttonis 1655 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 155.
This fyftein ȝeirs bygane(c) 1441–2 Foulis Chart. MS. (Reg. H.) 18 Jan.
I oblis me … to pay … fyfetene hundir markis a1568 Scott iii. 45.
Fleiche with fyiftene for feir sumpart ȝe felȝie 1582 Grant Chart. 155.
Summa in silwer, fyiften hunderithe merkis 1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 245.
Ane assignasion … off fayftine chalders vituall 1613 Highland P. III. 131.
For fyifteine monethis eftir the date of that act 1644 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. Append. vi. 57.
Ane pours with fayftin medels(d) a1400 Leg. S. i. 293.
He … fyveten ȝere thar dwelling made Ib. xxix. 531.
For fywten ȝere 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 41.
He sall pay fivetene schillingis Scottis mony 1515 Douglas Chart. 318.
The yer of God a thowsand fyve hundreth and fyvetene yerres 1543 Reg. Cupar A. II. 23.
Fiveteine bollis … of gude beir 1554 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 256.
Fivetene barrellis salmond 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 120.
Sonday come a fyveten days 1623 Ib. 181.
On Sunday was fyvtein dayis
b. Absolute. Also with of. c1420 Wynt. ii. 548.
Thre scor off bodyis and fyftene ?1438 Alex. ii. 4492.
Neir fyftene in that place Was lyand deid c1475 Wall. iii. 354.
Fyfteyne he tuk, and to the toune went thai Ib. v. 801.
Fyfteyn in feild war slayne c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 28.
Quhair I of a joy couth tell, I culd of truble tell fyftene c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 880.
Of the Scottis wer slane fyftene a1568 Scott iii. 45.
Fleiche with fyiftene for feir sum part ȝe felȝie a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxv. 139.
I doe knaw Of gud wemen fiftein
c. Fiftenesum, a company of fifteen. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 471.
Thow fylde faster than fyftenesum mycht lawe [= lave]
2. Fifteenth.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 17.
On the fyften day a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 655.
To Rom the fywten day thai com c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 1.
Off Februar the fyiftene nycht 1527 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 377.
Of oure regne the fiftene yeire 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 104.
In the fiftene chapitre of the Actis of the Apostles a1578 Pitsc. I. 2/2.
Sen the fyftie aucht ȝeir wnto the thrie scoir fyftein ȝeir 1592 Douglas Chart. 311.
The fyifteine day of Fabruar(b) 15.. Clar. iii. 3127.
Thair come … be the fyvetine day Awcht thousand speiris 1558-66 Knox II. 138.
The fyvetene day of Januare following 1579 Irvine Mun. I. 68.
The fyvetane day of August 1604 Douglas Corr. 245.
The fyvtein day of Marche 1616 Logie Par. Hist. I. 79.
The fywtein of this instant
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"Fiften num.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Jan 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fiftene>