A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1599
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Obolus, n. [e.m.E. (1579–80) the ancient Greek coin, also (1634) an apothecaries' weight of half a scruple, L. obolus f. the Gk.: cf. also F. obole (13th c. in Littré) the name of a small coin, equal to half a denier, and e.m.E. obole (1601) the apothecaries' weight. Cf. also Ob(b n.] A halfpenny. — 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II. 208.
[Ilk pece iiij d. obolus 1529–30 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I. 16.
To the masoun of Culros for the dressing and resavyng of the samyn [stones] viz. for ilk peis obolus summa vi s. xi d. 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 82.
Summa v li. vij d. obolus 1582–3 Exchequer Rolls XXI. 573.]
Payand … tuelf pundis auchtene schillingis obulum 1510 Rentale Dunkeld. 5.
Twelf pundis alewin schillingis twa pennys and 1 obolus 15.. Fleming Old Nooks of Stirling 44.
[For the theft of] xxxij penjis and i obolus he that takis a man may hing hym
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"Obolus n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/obolus>
