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.
Spell, Speall, v.2 [ME and e.m.E. spell (Cursor M.), spel (Trevisa), OF espelre, -ir (12th c. in Godefroy), f. the Germanic stem spell-, cf. Spel(l,v.1]
1. intr. To read. Also to spell with lettrys, to read letter by letter.c1420 Wynt. i 276.
This Enoch fand … Fyrst wyth lettyrys for tyll spell, And syne … to sett togyddyr faste and wryte a1500 Henr. Fab. 1010.
‘I haue respite ane ȝeir, and ȝe will reid.' ‘I can not spell [Bann. spell a word],’ quod he 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) Adhort. 63.
Reid in this buke, the speiche gif ȝe can spell
2. tr. To read (a word, book, etc.).1513 Doug. i Prol. 284.
I defend and forbiddis euery wight That can nocht spell thar Pater Noster rycht Fortill correct … Virgill, Or the translatar blame 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2909 (Ch.).
Tak thair the buik: let se gif ȝe can spell 15.. Sym & Bruder 43.
To se quha best the pardone spellis
3. a. To arrange (letters) in order to form a word, etc. b. Of letters: To spell (a word, etc.).a. 1531 Vaus (1531) 3.
Quhow of the voualis ma be consonantis? twa, … i and u quhen thai ar spellit witht the vouale followand as iuno [etc.]b. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 8a.
Cast twa of the first [sc. letters] away Of the wocallis tak the nixt tway … Tak till it, the middist of fel Syne lwik quhat it will spell
4. intr. To (have the ability to) spell.c1600 Wynt. (STS) I lxvi.
Margaret Hammy[lton] Vreittis not veill And spellis far var c1608 Elphinstone Chart. 181.
Look naroulie to the ortogra[p]hie, and mend it, for nather I nor my man can speall weill
