A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1420, 1513-1638
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Schald(e, Schauld(e, Schawd, adj. Also: scheald, shald(e, schaild, schawlde; schaule; schawit. [ME schoold, schoolt (both Trevisa), schold, scold (both Prompt. Parv.), scheld (c1440), e.m.E. shoald, shoale (both a1554), OE sceald.]
1. Of (a) water: Shallow. 1375 Barb. ix 355.
He … slely gert assay Quhar at the dyk schaldest [C. schawdest, H. shaldest] was c1420 Wynt. iv 255.
That … wattyr … sa schalde [C. schawlde, W. schald] it sulde be made That, set a woman suld it wade, Hyr kneys off it suld noucht be wate c1420 Ib. vii 769.
Than Trent and Temys war sa schawlde That a barne … Mycht wayd oure thame c1420 Ib. iv 262 (C).
Schaulde 1513 Doug. ix xi 17.
In furdys schald 1513 Ib. vii xii 57. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 149.
In the schavld watteris amang the bankis of sand 1531 Bell. Boece (1821) I xxxiv.
Schauld a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1544 (Wr.). a1595 Descr. Iles 429.
Schaule 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 91.
Shald
b. transf. Of sandbanks, shallows, etc.: Covered by shallow water; not far below the surface (of the sea, etc.). 1513 Doug. iii Prol. 40.
For nowder howk nor craik May heir bruke sail, for schald [Ruddim. schaild] bankis and sandis 1513 Ib. viii 99, etc.
A hydduus brayng of brokyn seys bost—Apon schald bankis boldynnis hie the flude 1513 Ib. vi i 115.
Quhar the schald [Ruddim. schauld] sandys strekis endlang the schor 1513 Ib. x vi 10.
Thar as hym thocht suldbe na sandis schald, Nor ȝit na land bryst 1513 Ib. xi xii 72.
The strandis schald and sandis plane 1535 Stewart 47330.
Neirby ane schoir vpoun ane schawit sand 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xvii.
Which the Lord hes set as on the shalde shoare, lyke beakens to warne the ship-wreake of soules
c. Applied to an island with shelving or sloping shores. ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 60.
Ane ile callit Orvansay … with gude heavin for hieland galayis and scheald [v.r. shald] at the schoiris
2. fig. Of a person in respect of his intellect, etc.: Lacking profundity; superficial. 1620 in Calderwood VII 430.
I find you the shaldest man that ever I had to doe with
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"Schald adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/schalde_adj>
