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: 1642-1689
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Nulay, n. Also: (nulla, nullay, nurley.) (Conjectured to be ON. neðarla, neðarliga, low down, far below, applied to the lower or lowest of two or three divisions of a runrig field: see further J.S.Clouston Sc. Hist. Rev. XVII. 20 (where the variants nulla, nullay and nurley are mentioned, but without reference) and Ib. XXII. 188.) — 1642 Sc. Hist. Rev. XVII. 20.
[The inquest] devydit the haill south town in thrie thirds, quhairof the ane peny land called Flaws has the uppa, Hollandis pennyland has the midrig, and the penny land called Coulls has the nulay 1689 Ib. XXII. 186.
The said James Ewensone to have the first rigg thereof beginning at the north, and Bracoes tennent to have the nixt rigg, commonlie called the uplay, as being udall land; and the said Oversanday to have two riggs both closs together thereafter as the so comonly called the nulay, as fewed land, thorowout the haill town land as the samen is planked
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"Nulay n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nulay>
