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: 1399-1400, 1475-1650
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Nail, Nale, v. Also: naill, nayl(e; nal, nall(e; nael. [ME. naill(e, nail(e, nayle, naylle(n, early neilen, naȝȝlenn (Orm), OE. næᵹlan.] tr. To nail, fix with nails. Variously const.a. With things as objects.(1) 1535 Stewart 60354.
Syne naillit thame [iron shoes] vpoun this wedois feit 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 242.
For ane daill till naill on the falte places on the floring 1563–4 Ib. 464.
For … plancheour, to naill ane daill upoun the new hupis 1587 Acts III. 522/1.
That the bottom thairof be corssit with irne naillit to the same 1606 Inverness Rec. II. 39.
His lug [to be] naillit to the throne 1616 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II. 16.
For naillis to naill the daillis togidder 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 54.
Nailit 1650 Acts Sederunt ii. 69.
His lugg to be nailed to the trone(b) 1512–13 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
That the houssis … infectit … haif nalit vpoun thair staris … ane quhyt claith 1564 Inverness Rec. I. 120.
To his lug to be nalit at the trone 1571 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 148.
For thre pulder barrellis nalit with ledder 1576 Protocol Book of W. Cumming 161.
Ane candyll kist nalit to the vall — c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 1153.
On charnaill bandis nald [v.r. naillit] it [a board] full fast and sonetransf. 1513 Doug. ix. ix. 120.
The fedderit arrow … nalyt hys hand plat to the left syde(c) 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 298.
And his lug nallit to the trone 1558 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I. 295.
For … naills to nalle the skalye on the turnpyk haid(2) 1534–5 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I. 128.
xxiiii gret nalis to nale the siloring a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xxxi. 27.
Ane lekand bott, nocht nalit fast 1608–9 Misc. Spald. C. V. 84.
For gryt irn nalis to naill the angleris(3) 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 149.
For lx garroun nallis to naill to all the bilȝetts 1586 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 59 b.
Raw silk to naill doun the covering(4) 1559 Reg. Privy C. VI. 849.
[The said coins … with the] kist [wherein the same is] naillit
b. With personal object. — a1500 Henr. Orph. 178 (Ch. & M.).
He saw speldit a wonder wofull wicht, Nailit full fast a1500 Ib. 551 (Asl.).
This Theseus lay nalit on the bent 1559 Inverness Rec. I. 31.
To be hed to the trone and to be bundyn to he be nalit … and hymeself to ryf away his luge
c. With reference to Christ's crucifixion.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 670.
That joyful tre, quhar-one God & man for our trespas … nalyt was ?a1500 Obsecro 42. 1551 Hamilton Catechism 152. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 139.
Naillit 1567 Ib. 153.
Nalit 1590–1 Criminal Trials I. ii. 237.
Be the naillis sa that naillit Jesus(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3477 (C).
Quhair He did hing Naild on the croce c1590 J. Stewart II. 249 § 197.
The … croce Quhairon this lambe … Vas naeld(c) 1622-6 Bisset II. 280/4.
Naled
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"Nail v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nail_v>
