A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456, 1536-1578
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Fire-ball, Fyre-ball, n. Also: fyrbaw. [e.m.E. fyer baule (1555); fier-bal in this sense (1595).] A ball of combustible or explosive matter.1456 Hay I. 262/30.
Gif ony man wald say on ane other that he had prively put fyre, be a fyre ball … , in his hous 1536 Fraser P. 222.
Twelf fyrbawis 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 77.
For … bruntstane … to the fyre balles a1578 Pitsc. I. 229/14.
Lat the gounnaris … make thame redy, with their lyme pottis and fyre ballis in our toppis
