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.
Scurell, Skurel, Squirrell, n. Also: skarale; skuyr(r)ell; skeyrall. [ME and e.m.E. squyrel (?a1366), scorel (Prompt. Parv.), scurelle (1475), squerel (15th c.), AF esquirel, OF escurieul, escu(i)reul (c1175 and 13th c. in Larousse), vulgar L. *scūriolus, f. L. sciurus a squirrel.] A squirrel; a squirrel skin or fur. —1328 Exch. R. I 119.
[vij supertunicis de squirrelles 1329 Exch. R. I 220.]
Quater viginti supertunicarum de scorella et de strendlings 14.. Acts I 303/2.
Of the tymmyr of skurel [Balfour Pract. 86, skarale; Edinb. B. Rec. I 238, scurell] ij d.; Of ane hundreth gray gryse and skurel dycht and letheryt viij d. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 3.
They are full of … foxes, … brocks, skuyrrells [v.r. skuyrell], whittrets, … martrixes, … fulmarts a1649 Inv. of Pictures in Hamilton Mun. MS 46.
A woman with a skeyrall in hir hand of Tician
