A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375, 1501-1673
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Ramail, -el(l, Rammel(l, n. Also: rammall, -ale, -ald. [ME and e.m.E. ramell (1373), ramail (c1420) rammell, OF ramaille the branches of a tree viewed collectively, also the cut branches, F. rameau, -el the small branches coming from a main branch, f. rame a branch.]
1. The small branches coming from the main branches or trunk of a tree, usu. as trimmed from the tree; also, cut brushwood or bushes.Used for fence-making, fuel, etc.Also attrib.: Endowed with or consisting of small branches. c1250 Liber Calchou 91.
Stock [pr. stoch] et ramail tam de quercu quam de bule 1513 Doug. xi ii 18.
Fortobeld a beir Of sowpill wandis … Bund with … the twystis sle … Of small rammell or stobys of akyn tre 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 85.
For making of spylis to the ground and the mending of the rammell 1553 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 622.
[And cut] all the young treis and rammald for young grouth of young treis agane to grow 1553 Ib.
[Sir William Scott of Balwery is pursuing for £10,000 in respect of] scroggis and rammald [cut] 1590 Burel Queen's Entry 16.
Young ramel, wrocht like lawrell treis 1632 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 65.
The elding to lye, peates, and wode … and rammell, and coalesattrib. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 37/19.
There vas ane grene banc ful of rammel grene treis 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 416.
[He is to cut no timber without permission] except ramell saugh timber
2. Brushwood, underwood, scrub. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1879.
As the ceder surmountis the rammall 1513 Id. Æn. x vii 112.
The hyrd … Amang the scroggy rammell settis the fyre 1513 Ib. ix Prol. 37.
Rammale 1533 Boece 127b.
The strenth … be treis and rammell invironit 1533 Ib. 147.
Woddis … replete of thornys breris and thik rammell 1533 Bell. Livy I 38/24.
He did ane … buschment of his weremen … amang the scroggis of thik rammell 1535 Stewart 11268.
Ron and roche with mony rammall all ouirsyld 1566–7 Reg. Privy S. V ii 328/1.
The said schaw is … becumin … thik with breiris, thissill, rammald [etc.]
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"Ramail n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ramail>
