A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pole, n.ŏ1 Also: pol; poill(e; powl, poull; pool; poll, pow. [Appar. ME and e.m.E. pole (1340), pool(e (15th c.), poale, poll (Nottingham, 1457), polle, powle (a 1529), poule, also (once) pulle (Caxton), late OE pál, OFris. pâl, MDu. pael (Du. paal), etc., ON páll, L. pāl-us Pale n.1The regular north. ME and Sc. descendant of OE pál would be *pale, coincident in form with Pale n.1 This word resembles Bote n.2 and Mor(e adj.1, all three with a labial consonant preceding the vowel, in having o rather than a, as in the regular midland and south. Eng. development.The variant powl, poull, which also occurs in mod. Sc. and Eng. dialects, resembles howf, howp, powk etc. in developing ow for ō in a labial environment. The variant pow (cf. later Cumberland and S. Lancs. dialect pow handle of a scythe etc.) is presum. from a form with shortened ŏ and in due course l- vocalisation.]
A staff or pole. Also comb.Several of the contexts leave the meaning doubtful. Perh. the word was less universally known than such of its synonyms as staff and sting. This may account for the v.rr. in the Henr. quot. and the appar. corruption in the Wall. quot.(1) 1510–13 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 287.
[Purchase of] postelarum et lie polis [for the work-horses] 1533 Treas. Acc. VI 85.
For polis to hald the caise of the suerd of honour togidder 1540 Ib. VII 352.
The making of certane polis to the lyoun 1695 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXV 65.
[Liberty … to take away … the] wheels [etc.] … tubs presses drying cords and pols and uther instruments of the peaper work(b) c1475 Wall. ii 33.
He bar a sasteing in [sic] a boustous poille [: thoile] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1016 (Ch.).
Wee haue gart bind him with ane poill And send him to the theifis hoill(c) 1474 Prestwick B. Rec. 23.
ij duris of tre hungin witht irne, a poll, a plank, a benk a1500 Henr. Fab. 877 (Bann.).
With pollis [v.rr. powis, towis] proud a palȝoun doun thaj picht(d) 1581 Dundee Shipping L. 204.
xxx powlis vj b[ur]ds of tymmer [etc.](e) 1671 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 294.
Several of the tounsmen … rune to long pooles which were lyeing on the street and did rune in to the defence of the magistrat(2) comb. 1603 Elgin Rec. II 109.
Quho wer full and dronkin and haid mekill poll bourdon stavis with fork headis of irone
b. spec. A shaft of a vehicle; attrib. Also poltree id.Also Pole-pece.1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 147.
For … a mainshekell, a houkit clout to the poull endattrib. 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 150.
To pay the cobler for helping the braces of the poltree of the coatch
