A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1592-1699
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Towl(e, Toul(l)(e, n. Also: towil, tool(l)(e, tuil(e, toyl(e, tewil(l, tewll(e. [ME and e.m.E. tol (Layamon), tool (14th c.), toyel (?a1400), toile (a1400-50), towle (1597), OE tól, ON tól (pl.).] A tool, an implement for manual work. Chiefly pl.sing. 1611 Mure Early Misc. P. ii 46.
He [sc. Cupid] … left behind his tort'ring toyle [: spoyle; supra the bow, the schafts, the quaver and the brace] 1629 Mure True Crucifixe 1536.
Ought or toole or pensil can expressepl. 1592 Laing MSS 80.
To burdene with encrease of towles to dryve them from all trade 1594 Haigh Mining P. xv.
That … Sir Dauid furneis … all kynd of towilis and instrumentis requisit … for vphaulding of the said mylne bellowis and furnaces therof 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 118b.
To the smyth … to mak towles and instrumentis xxx s. 1645 Edinburgh Testaments LXI 139b.
His worklomes or toullis estimat all to xl lib. 1657 Edinburgh Testaments LXIX 21a.
v rounde touls … viij litle smaller toules 1673 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 26 Dec.
He leawes his said eldest sonne his toollis … work loomis sick as axes wimbles and the lyke 16… Culross II 168.
Six toules(b) 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 59b.
Pickis … gadis … with sindrie small toylis for the assay furnace(c) 1652–3 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 360.
For 2 quar of peeper to be ane invetor bouk for the tewills and work leiwmes 1661–2 Glasgow B. Rec. II 552.
For the maill of that hous called the manufactorie, tewlles and yaird belonging therto(d) 1688 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 18 May.
I leave the work tuiles to Alexander my 3rd son and he to give to William the third part of them provideing he follou the trade
b. The blade of a knife.1653 Urquhart Rabelais i xxvii 129.
Little hulchback't demi-knives, the iron toole whereof is two inches long, and the wooden handle one inch thick
