A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1383-1650
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Chefe, Cheif, a. Also: chef, cheff(e, cheef, cheaf; cheiff(e, cheyff, chiefe, chiffe, chyffe. [ME. chefe, cheef, chef (c 1300), an attributive use of the noun.] Principal, most important, leading. (In various contexts.)Chefe chemis or chymmis: see these words.(1) 1383 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/1.
His chef parts of the Barony of Langforgond 1383 Ib.
At the chef plaz of the teneindri of Lytilton 14.. Acts I. 327/2.
The fyndar … aw that to public at the cheff maner place c1420 Wynt. iv. 1285.
Thare cheffe towne Than to the grownd wes castyn downe c1420 Ib. 1299.
Thare cheffe cyte … Capuva wes callyd 1453 Douglas MSS. (Reg. H.) No. 108.
Ony vther place quhar my … chef duellyng is 1488 Criminal Trials I. 7.
I Carrik, Pursewant, personaly past to the cheif chemis of Bothuile 1513 Doug. ii. i. 53.
Thidder come … Laocon From the cheif tempil rynnand 1513 Ib. iii. 43.
The wachis of the cheif castell 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8889.
The maist cheif kinrik Of all the warld 1560 Buke of Discipline 192.
These edictis aucht to be notified in the cheiff cities 1596 Dalr. I. 3/6.
From Alba the cheif citie, now called S. Androis 1596 Ib. 8 marg.
The cheife riuers in Britannie 1600-1610 Melville 491.
The cheiff blokhous of the Lord's Ierusalem in this land(2) 1427 Melville Chart. 21.
Thre hundreth punde … to be disponit be the conseile of the cheiffe lorde of the Wemys schire 1427 Ib. 22.
The chyffe lorde of Inchmartyn c1420 Wynt. iv. 928.
Artymodor … wyrschype prowyde, and manhade, Amang the cheffe off his knychthade 1456 Hay I. 211/12.
Quhen he … maid him chef hedisman to governe the schip 1456 Ib. II. 161/14.
The prince … maid that Sarrazene in his cheif counsaillour c1450-2 Howlat 203.
The cok … Was chosyn chauntour full cheif 1472 Lennox Mun. 90.
The keping of the landys … came into the Kingis handis, as superior and cheyff lord c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii. 165.
Thair cheyff chyftan feryt als fers as fyr 1513 Doug. xi. vi. 84.
Menelay, ane of the cheif barnage 1533 Gau 23/4.
The rewlers of the tempil and the cheif prestis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 71/13.
Sen all hæresie … had sum cheif archiheretic inuentour thairof 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 32.
The cheif conspiratour chosin be thame to be king of Scotland 1563-1570 Ib. 47.
Cheifest ennemy to David 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 113.
Thay blast out … that the Pape is the cheif antichrist 1596 Dalr. II. 328/13.
Desbore … was Chappelis cheiffe captane 1625 Reg. Great S. 287/1.
Lie cheiff postmaster Scotie 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 39.
So many of the cheifest honest men they culd find in the toun 1650 Lamont Diary 24.
The chiffe leaders of the armie(3) 14.. Acts I. 380/2.
All tha that ar … blamet with the chef capital crimes 1456 Hay II. 86/3.
The cheiff and principale poynt of the government of the saule c1450-2 Howlat 408.
Ane [scheld] in the crope hiegh as cheif I beheld a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 1.
In the cheif tyme of Charlis a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 186.
The cheif thing … Is to kepe iustice a1499 Ib. 1097.
This was cheif way and nane vther sa gud 1560 Acts II. 532/1.
The Fatheris vnder the law, … had twa chief sacramentis 1571 Satirical Poems xxvii. 17.
We haue thé chosin to the cheifest charge 1610 Highland P. III. 118.
Your Ma[jes]tie knaws the cheif occatione of my stay
