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.
Pillies, n. Also pl.: pillisies. [Prob. back-formation from reduplicated plur. (as in quot. for 1685 below) of Pillé n. Cf. 17th c. Eng. pullace a pulley.] A pulley. = Pillé n. —1661 Stirling Common Good 5 b.
For a pillies to the counsell house bell —1685 Inventory of Plenishing of House of Binns in Soc. Ant. LVIII. 364.
4 pillisies for the jack
