A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1580, 1671-1678
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Ma(c)khelve, Mack(h)allow, n. Also: mchaive, meikalow. [Gael. macaladh fostering.] In the Highlands: A portion or endowment in cattle for a child put to fosterage, provided, commonly in equal shares, by the father and the foster-father, and handed over to the fosterer to raise. Also makhelve guddis (mackallow goods, etc.). 1580 Black Bk. Taymouth 22.4.
The said father and foster father giving between them of makhelve guddis in donation to the said bairn at Beltane thereafter the value of two hundred merks of ky [etc.] 1671 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXX. 22.
Fostaring of Ard Oig's chyldriane … A provisione in all ye dispositiones that Ard & his wiff dispones ther mchaive & to have no power to medle with it heireftir. The makhelve is 9 ky 1674 Ib.
In caise the chyld die within [space] yeires eftir his entrie the makhelve to be devyded equally & in caise thereftir the chyld die the whole makhelve to belong to the said chylds neirest airs 1678 Ib. 20.
The sd James oblidges him to delyver of meikalow goods to the behoofe of his sd sone … the nomber of two tyddie key one thrie yeir old kow and a gong meere to the which the sd Duncane oblidge him to joyne therto two tyddie key [etc.] … whilk wholl mackallow goods … the sd Duncan and Margret … oblidges them … to gress and pastur 1678 Ib. 19, 21, etc.
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"Makhelve n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mackhelve>
