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.
Quotation dates: 1400-1700+
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Ling, Leing, n.1 Also: linge, lyng, leinge, ley(i)ng. [ME. lenge (Havelok), leyng (north., 1377), leenge (14th c.), lynge (1425), e.m.E. ling: cf. e.m.Du. lenghe, linghe, ON. langa, etc.; ultim. f. Lang a. (sc. ‘the long fish’).] The fish, ling.Also comb. in ling-fisch (as also in e.m.E., Caxton etc.).(a) 14.. Acts I. 305/2.
Of ilk hundreth fysch kelyng leyng or hadok at the entryng nocht bot at the oute passyng four peniis 1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 45.
Of the jc grete fisch as keling, stok-fisch, leyngis, salmound … vnbarralit iiii d. 1525 Household Bks. Jas. V 17.
Empt … . ij turbones … j leing [etc.] 1549 Banff Ann. I. 26.
That na man pak nor peyll keilling, leyng [etc.] 1568 Dundee B. Laws 34.
Bringers of dry fisches … and small codlings & leying 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI 18 Jan.
Enterit ane hunder keiling, … thrie dissoun leing 1643 Dundee Chart. 89.
And of kylling or leinge … twa of ilk boat c 1680 Coll. Aberd. & B. 98.
The seas abound with fishes, such as killing, leing(b) 1488 Exchequer Rolls X. 50.
Per vendicionem compotanti tricentorum mulonum et le lyngis ad familiam domini regis 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 459.
½ c lyng, the price l s.; ane barrell salmond, the price lv s. 1558 Ib. X. 423.
For the fraucht of the foirsaid j m xl dry ling of Anstruthir to Haymouth 1576 Orkney Oppress. 40.
Quhair as twelff gild keling and aucht gild ling suld mak the gudling 1597 Halyb. xcv, xcvi. 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 5.
To quite himselff of the stowth of twa lingis of Magnus Ollawsonis 1624 Reg. Great S. 202/2. 1701 Brand Orkney 20.
Before they catch their great fishes as keelling, ling etc., they must pass far out into the seacomb. 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 55.
Four hundretht … ling fische, nyne dussoun keilling … apertening to the said William 1677 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 413/2.
To fish … cod and ling fishes in any of the firths
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"Ling n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ling_n_1>
