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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.

Sillab, n. Also: -abe, syllab(e, sylabe, sillap, -o(i)p. [Late ME silap(p, sylypp (both c1440), e.m.E. syllab (1509), sillab(e (a1568), OF sillabe (12th c.), L. syllaba, f. the Gk.]

1. A syllable, the unit of spoken language; its representation in writing. a1500 Colk. Sow ii 125.
His … erldome callit Flandria Flan fra the first sillab of Flannislie 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 92.
The first sillabis that thow did mute Was pa Da Lyn 1531 Vaus (1531) 2.
That is of the quhilk the genitiue cais singulare endis in ius be dividit syllabis or in ivs be ane syllabe 1549 Compl. 16/23.
Sum of them tuke pleiseir to gar ane vord … to be ful of sillabis half ane myle of lyntht a1567 Misc. Bann. C. II 91.
Thys classe sal reid … the maist facil orations, … and the quantiteis of syllabes c1550-c1580 Art of Music 36b.
Quhan ane vocall is put befoir ane vther vocall spellit togidder completand ane hoill sillabe 1585 James VI Ess. 57.
Question and digestion, it rymes in ques and ges, albeit they be bot the antepenult syllabis 1585 James VI Ess. 57.
Short syllabis … quhilkis are eatin vp in the pronouncing c1616 Hume Orthog. 16, etc.
The syllab … is a ful sound symbolized with convenient letteres c1616 Hume Orthog. 17.
Quhen a word fales to be divyded at the end of a lyne … the partition must be made at the end of a syllab c1616 Hume Orthog. 18.
A labial letter can not symboliz a guttural syllab c1616 Hume Orthog. 22.
The accent in the fourth syllab from the end; as in mátrimonie, pátrimonie 1629 Boyd Last B. 163.
The godlie and wicked are sibber vnto other in outward shewes than Sirion and Sion are sibbe in syllabes 16.. Rudiments 1b. 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 3.
Lines … Some of eight syllabs, some of ten

b. Used pregnantly of a syllable bearing meaning in its own right. 1513 Doug. Conscience 16.
Fra sci of science wes adew Than left thai nocht bot this sillab ens, Quhilk … singnifies that schrew, Riches and geir 1551 Hamilton Cat. 291.
This sillab fo. betakinnis the leif of the buke

2. A small portion or detail (of something written); the least detail, the slightest part (of a letter, etc.). 1460 Hay Alex. 19348.
Sillabis or wordis heir suppois that I Throw negligence I haue lattin pas by 1531 Bell. Boece I ii.
To bring to lycht … quhare that I haue failȝeit In letter sillabe poyntis lang or schort 1569 Rec. Earld. Orkney 129.
That … nane … suld cum incontrar the smallest syllabe off ony heidis or contentis contenit within the saidis chartouris c1590 Fowler I 271/9.
These inkblotted lynes and sillabs groue As heade or hand ar by invention led 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 10 July.
The samin tak wes alterit … not onlye ane word or ane silloip of ane word bot [etc.] 1609 Acts IV 422/1.
The direct conformitie … alsweill in the … resemblans of the handwrytt as in the spelling and wryting of euerie wrytt sillabe [Crim. Trials II 288 sillap; State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108/11 sillop] and letter c1610 Melville Mem. 16.
To com in vnder assurance and promys quhilk themperour brak retenyng the said landgraue captyue vpon the subtilite of a sillabe 1631 Red Bk. Menteith II 141.
If thair be ane sillab vntrew of that quhilk is written 1641 Baillie I 289.
Johnstone, Rothes, Hendersone … did rypelie advyse on all the words and syllabs 1663 Orkney Rentals App. 102.
His majesties letter … faithfullie coltationed with the said coppie, and no sentence, word, or syllab deminished therfrae