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: 1451-1698
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Gavillok, Gavelo(c)k, n. Also: gavillock, gavellok, gavlock; gawillok, -elok, giwillok; gaw-, gewlock; gaiflo(c)k; galok, gaylo(c)k; gellok; cavillok. [e.m.E. gavelocke crowbar (1558), ME. gavilok, gavelok, -loc (1183), OE. gafeluc javelin.] An iron crowbar or lever.(a) 1451 Exchequer Rolls V. 422.
Pro una vanga, tribulo, et le gavillok de ferro a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1744.
Than to that port thai passit richt With spaide and gavillok & mattok wicht 1497 Treasurer's Accounts I. 349.
For xiij stane of irne to mak grath to Mons new cradill and gavilokks to ga with her 1513 Ib. IV. 493.
[For a vessel] vj gavillokis, ij crawis, ij pikkis, xl dyis irne weyand iiij wawis 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 320.
To David Grahame, masoun, to wyn the stanis with ane gavillok 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 136.
Ane gavillok and ane litill pik 1610 Criminal Trials III. 91.
Providit … of gavillokis, craw-irnes, fyles, and otheris work-lowmes 1661 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 471.
Ane iron quarrell mell, twa gavillockis(b) 1538–9 Master of Works Accounts V. 27.
Ane swey, twa giwillokis, twa quarel mellis(c) 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 514.
For the wyrking of vij wallis of irne in pikkes, mattokkis, and cavillokis(d) 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 460.
For ane wall iryne to mak gawelokis for the gwnnys 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 326.
Laid upoun ane greit gawellok iij quarteris of irne 1594 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 102.
Certane mattokis, gavellokis, and vtheris warklomes … for demolischeing … of housis and fortalices 1618 Linlithgow Palace 341.
For working twa stane of irone in twa gavelockis 1640 Fam. Innes 167.
For quarrell mell, twa gavelokis, hameris, pekis, wedgis 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 229.
Inventur of quarrell graith, a great quarrell mell, … 2 gavelocks and a pinch [etc.](e) 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 386.
To the smyth for making of small botts and ane gewlok 1561–3 Ib. 396.
For mending of pikkis and gawloks the samyn oulk 1654 Edinburgh Testaments LXVII. 213.
Ane iron gavlock & ane how 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 221.
[To send two workmen] with speds, shooles, gawlacks, … [to demolish and slight the walls](f) 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 197.
For scharping of the pikkis and gaifloks all this yeir 1611 Edinburgh Testaments XLVI. 226.
Twa pickis, ane gaiflok, ane mattok 1617–8 Master of Works Accounts XVI. 3.
For making of a gaiflock, howes, mattocks, and wadges(g) 1536 Ayr Common Good MS.
For ane turs of stra, vj d … .Item for ij galokkis making, vj d. 1605 Black Bk. Taymouth 344.
At the yet … Ane eitch, … a mekill gaylock(h)1600 Ayr B. Acc. 203.
[1] gellok [2 mattocks]
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"Gavillok n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gavillok>
