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.
Quotation dates: 1532-1691
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Stif(f)ing, Steif(f)ing, Stuffin(g, (vbl.) n. Also: stiffin(e, -inge, stif(f)en, stiphen, styffin, stev(e)ing, stew(e)ing, steiving, stuffine. [17th c. Eng. stiffing (once, 1611); Stif(f v.]
1. The action of Stif(f v. a. To stiffen, starch ((part of) a garment, cloth). b. To strengthen (joists).a. 1532 Edinb. Hammermen 136b.
Item for stuffin & weschingis [sic] of Sanct Lucis curches & Our Lades aganis pace 1541–2 Edinb. Hammermen 159. 1543 Edinb. Hammermen 160b. 1624 Perth Kirk S. MS 23 March.
Beatrix Wichtoun … schew that men resortit to hir hous for wasching and stiffing of thair ruffis c1638 Tract. Leg. Naval. 65b.
Stirch indigo is made in Holland for stearching or stiffing of wheatb. 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 206.
To the bigging of the Tolbuith and steving of the geistis of the over hous thairof
c. Starch. Also comb.(a) 1597 Bk. Rates in Halyb. cxiv.
Inuarte Custumes … Stiffine callit amedone the stane thairof xl s. … the jc wecht thairof xij li. 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II 146.
Fleyming, … his present gift of making of stiffing [marg. Flemying, meyddum-maker] 1602 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 15.
Twa vnce of blew stiffing x s. 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 55.
The said John Park … brocht to him as it ver pikilis of stiffing and causit the said Alexander get an cap full of nev aill quhairin he pat the said pikillis of stiffing 1610 Brechin Testaments II 102b.
Tua part of ane trey of stiffinge 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 321.
Moden or stiffing the hundreth weght, x li. 1616 Edinburgh Testaments XLIX 160b.
Four hundretht … pund wecht quhyt stifing … thrie scoir sex pund wecht blew stifing 1617 Edinburgh Testaments L 36b.
Stiffin 1623 Orkney Bishopric Court Book 48b (see Stiff v. a). 1627 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 170.
Stiffen 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 55.
Quhairvpon he did contract ane heavie and greit disease and dwyned moir nor ane ȝeir in greit torment his sueit being lyk stiffing vpoun his shirt 1662 Brechin Testaments VI 237b.
Stifen 1665 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 50.
Stiffinge 1691 Brechin Testaments VIII 33b.
Stiphen(b) 1613 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II 395.
Steiffing 1627 Glasgow Chart. II App. 582.
James Cuynghane, soip half lb. steiffing [pr. steiffng] 48 lb. wecht, salt 2 bollis, succer 8 lb.(c) 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI 288.
[Making] amedone or stuffing 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI 288.
Making and selling of the said amedone callit stiffingcomb. 1621 Edinburgh Testaments LI 60.
Elias de Planquas stifing maker 1637 Edinburgh Testaments LVIII 211b.
The furnishing of the stiffing work in Leith 1656 S. Leith Rec. 103.
That Adam Gairns his land besyd the new hospitall wch was called the stiffing house payes yearlie ten pound sterling
2. a. Stiffening, material used for stiffening (part of) a garment. Also attrib. and comb.Quot. 1599 Tailor's Acc. Bk. in (b) has previously been interpreted (at Burlat n. and Sewin(g vbl. n.1 1 (d)) as ‘sewing’; ‘stiffening’, however, seems more appropriate to both the lexical and orthographic contexts.Stiffing knyff, ? a knife for cutting stiffening material.(a) 1566 Treasurer's Accounts XII 17.
ix elnis of claith to be stuffine 1566 Mill Mediæval Plays 341.
For hardin quhilk was stuffing to ane pairt of the saidis cleithingis(b) 1589 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 104.
Item for tua ellis of blak gray to mak one front and steiffing to the schulderis 1599 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 13.
Stewing to this same goun bodyes and burlittis 1599 Treasurer's Accounts MS 41b.
For stenting steifing and caddes xx s. 1599 Treasurer's Accounts MS 45b.
vj quarteris of stenting … half ane eln of steveing 1600 Treasurer's Accounts MS 42.
Stenting steving lyning [etc.] … for outredding of his said abuilȝement 1600 Treasurer's Accounts MS 105b.
Stewing 1603 Eglinton P. (Hist. MSS Comm.) 31.
Thri yards of stenting and steifing [pr. steiping] 3 s. 1604 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 31.
For steving & stenting to cover the balling with of ȝour dochteris twa goun bodyis 1642 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B. 51.
For steweing to the cloik neck, iiij s.(c) 1612 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II 375.
Paiper, caird, cames, stiffing, and all uther sort of gross wairsattrib. 1579 Edinburgh Testaments VII 329b.
Nyne elnis of quhyt stuffing claith price of the eln xl d. … sex elnis of gray stuffing claith price of the eln xl d. 1586-7 Acc. Lady Bellenden 2.
Half ell stuffingray 1592 Treasurer's Accounts MS 67.
Four elnis steving clayth price iij li. iiij s. 1594 Argyll Acc. 10 Jan.
Item for steving gray to it 1597 Treasurer's Accounts MS 51b.
Steiffing 1600 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 4b.
Ane ell of steving harne to the same dowblit 1600 Treasurer's Accounts MS 120b.
Steifing claith to the saidis gownis 1606 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 42.
vj quarteris of steving stenting to stive nekis & burris 1626 Berw. Doc. fol. 1 No. 22.
Half ane ell of steiving buckrem to steive the neck buvis and buistiscomb. 1645 Edinburgh Testaments LXI 135.
Ane stiffing knyff pryce thairof 1 lib.
