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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hele, Heill, v.² Also: hel(l, (helyn), heyl, heal(l, heale. [ME. heel(e, hele(n, OE. hǽlan. Cf. Hale v.²]

1. tr. To cure (a person, of a disease, etc.; also said of the diseased part).Also transf., to make whole, to mend.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xix. 518.
Gettis ȝou lechis fele Ȝoure brokine godis for to hele c1420 Wynt. v. 3819.
Quhat medycyne can thow … Till hele or till ras thame agayne That … thow gert be slayne? 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 330.
Giffin … to the Inglis hors marschael to hele the broune geldin 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 274/2.
To cure and hele the sade … Lancelote of the … grantgor 15.. Clar. I. 122.
He belyve wald he helit of everie smart(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 33.
He heilyt hym that crepil was Ib. ix. 90.
The seke wes heylit of his care a1500 Seven S. 637.
[He] said na spending suld be sparde To heile his son 1533 Gau 109/18.
That thay suld noth se nay heir … and suld turne that I micht heil thayme 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5584.
I come to heill ȝour sone that lyis seik a1586 Lindsay MS. 32 b.
Be that meins [he] heillis him selfabsol. a1400 Leg. S. xi. 30.
Of edrope thu heilis alsa(2) 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V. 64.
Gevin to Issobell Cheyne … to heall hir leg quhilk was hurt 1626 Elgin Rec. II. 193.
To give 40 s. to a man to heall the ladis leg that was hurt with the plough

b. To cure (a disease or a wound). Also fig., of spiritual sickness.(1) ?1438 Alex. II. 3380.
Ȝit is nocht helit … The woundis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 882.
Thai hynt of his harnesse, to helyn his wound 1490 Irland Mir. I. 163/4.
The spittin of his mouth … helyt seknes 1513 Doug. vii. xii. 124.
Thar [sc. serpents'] … venom couth he dant, And heill thar stangyng and sik hurtis eys 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5675.
This herb … of vertew it is richt comfortiue, To heill all flux to ony man on liue 1670 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 264.
The notable vertues with which thes wateris ware indued, in heiling such varietie of diseases(2) fig. a1400 Leg. S. vi. 486.
Til a plaister [preaching] lyk ma be, Quhar-thru of syne wondis hel we 1533 Gau 8/12.
The grace … of God … heilis the spiritual seiknes of the saul

2. intr. To recover from sickness or a wound; to get well. 1478 Acts II. 119/2.
Gif the hors crukis throw the schoying, & will nocht heile 15.. Clar. i. 329.
He heallit of his woundis day be day Ib. iv. 1271.
It had beine gud … , That ȝour hand had not hellit so suddanlie