A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sil(l, n. Also: syll(e, syl(e, syil(l, schil(l, schile, schyl(l, scylle. [ME and e.m.E. sille (14th c.), selle (Chaucer), sulle (c1340), sylle (Prompt. Parv.), sill (1428), OE syll, sylle a horizontal beam, perhaps connected with L. solea a foundation (Festus) (cf. Sol(e n.1 4, 5); also north. ME and e.m.E. syle (1333-4), sile (1371) a roofing-timber, rafter, perhaps f. OE sýl a pillar.]
1. A balk or beam of wood, also a (? trimmed) tree trunk, used in construction work; also, specif., as a weapon, missile, or battering-ram.(1) c1475 Wall. ix 830.
Off hewyn temyr in haist he gert thaim tak Syllys off ayk, and a stark barres mak 1513 Doug. xi iii 84.
The mekill syllis of the warryn tre With weggis and with proppis beyn devyd 1513 Doug. xii xi 130.
Quhilk towr of sillys and gestis gret belt he 1531 Bell. Boece II 51.
He brocht mony huge sillis and treis out of the nixt wod, syne fillit the fowsis and trinchis of the said castel with the samin(2) c1475 Wall. xi 1020.
Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang 1513 Doug. ix ix 19.
Troianys … Threw stanys down, and sillys [Sm. schyllis, Ruddim. shotys] 1513 Doug. ix ix 92.
Otheris presyt with schydis and mony a syl [Sm. schyll, Ruddim. sill] 1513 Doug. xi ix 70.
Sum to the ȝettis weltis weghty stonys, And sum gret iestis and sillys 1513 Doug. xi xvii 58.
The syllys squar and hedyt styngis … And perkis gret with byrslyt endis … doun swakkis dunt for dunt c1475 Wall. (1570) x 43.
Wallace gart wrichtis call … With nyne or ten sillis he kest the gait befoir
b. A wooden beam used in one of a number of specific applications in construction work; specif., one of a pair of rafters (cf. SND Sile n.4), as part of (? the workings of) a mill (cf. SND Sile n.3); also attrib. with crop, rute, tre.Quot. 1609 may rather belong in a.(1) 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 167.
The greit tymmer and part of brokin pannes, firstis, sillis, … lyntallis, thriswallis [etc.] 1541 Exch. R. XVII 417.
Lie sillis ad reparationem molendini de Cardene 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 25 April.
& sall leif the haill take … with all the houssis … except sa mony of the biggynnis that ar nocht cuppillit with sillis baikis & ruiffis, that thai haif to carie the tymmir of samony with thame at the flitting as ar without cuppillit syillis baikis & ruffis 1623–4 Peebles Gleanings 47.
For viij aike treis that was in the Chappill hill to be sillis and staippillis to the ride milne, £16 6 s.(b) 1534 Dumfries B. Ct. 138a.
iiij sylis of tymyr & to lay the samin upon the ground of the said tenement 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 120.
Lyand in the ȝaird xiij greit sylis of asche price of thame xiij li. vj s. viij d. 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 25 April (see (1) above).
Syillis 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 140.
[John Maxwell [etc.] … broke up the door … ] with ane great syle of ane hous(c) 1547–8 Stirling B. Rec. I 52.
The said tenement … standand sufficiently in gret tymmer sic as scylle pan and first and in kaboris, wattillis [etc.] … sobirly apperand watir ticht(d) 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 107.
The stull [of the mill] will haue vij aikin schillis … Ilk schile man be xiiii fut lang 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 16.
Nyne gret geistis to be schyllis to the myll(2) 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 167.
Fyv kyppill of sillis 1609 Reg. Privy C. VIII 324.
[That he had sold to Nicoll] … fourtene treis within the Corblan dyk with tua pair of syllis within the wood
c. attrib.1543–4 Prestwick B. Rec. 59.
For the wrangus wythhaldin of iiij syil ruttis of aik quhylk hyr housbane bocht fra hyme 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 351.
Aught syll ruites aucht sylle cropis four howis four balkis 1653–4 Peebles B. Rec. II 195.
For bringing ouer the syltries to the North Port
2. A floor. a. In early alliterative poetry. b. ? A threshing floor.a. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 433.
I suld … seik to your souerane, seymly on syll a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1197.
Gologras … Said to thai segis, semely on syll How [etc.]b. 1571 Old Ross-shire I 159.
Common pasture … on the west side and the place of a barn … with two sills lying between the common lane
3. In the context of a coalmine: ? A layer of clay or igneous rock (cf. 18th c. Eng. sill).1681 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 5 Feb.
For reding the mind throgh the sill
