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.
Match, n. Also: matche, mattch, mache, metche. [e.m.E. and late ME. match(e, mache, mec(c)he, ME. match(e, macche (Piers Pl.), OF. mesche, meiche (mod. F. mèche).] a. Match; slow match. (Used in place of Sc. Lunt n.). b. Of firearms: With match works, having matchlock mechanism. = Luntwerk, Lunt n. c (2). c. Appar. transf. ? The steel for striking a light from flint and steel. —a. 15.. Balcarres P. MS. V. 73.
Mattchis pykis 1600-1610 Melvill 617.
Guy Faux … attending with a sett traine and prepairit lount and match 1614 Melrose P. I. 144.
Their will not be pouder, leid billettis nor matche 1629 Conv. Burghs III. 280. 1633 M. Works Acc. MS. XXVIII. 29.
xxxij fadome of matche to serve the peices at the thrie last woleis 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 186 b.
Thrie bunche matche estimat all to iiij lib. 1650 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 81.
Threttie muscattis … pudder ball and metche conforme 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 334.
Nether pouder, ball nor macheb. 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 448.
Yow are to allow no fyre armes with snap works, but only musketts with match worksc. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 486 (W).
Quhat forssis fyre out of the flint Bot als hard matche againe? a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1310.
