Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Cheld, Cheild, n. Also: chelde, cheyld; pl. chelder, cheilder; cheldren(e, -een, -ein, cheld(e)ring, cheildreen, -ein. [Variant of Child n., with change of ĭ to ē as in beld Beild v. In mod. Sc. used only in sense 2.]

1. A child.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1110.
It betyd hym … A knaf barne with hys wyf to haf … & than this cheld wox, & wel thraf c1420 Ratis R. 1116.
Sa lang can nocht ellis cheld think Bot one the met, and one the drynk a1487 Gud Wife & D. 247.
[To] chaisty thame, quhill thai are cheld [: eild] Ib. 251. a1568 Bann. MS. 240 b/69.
The bludy sicht gart hir pairt with quick chyild [: feild] 1568 Buch. Indict. 41.
Ane lettre purporting his vyif to be parted with cheild 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 119 b.
In cais the cheild … depart & leve not 1587 St. A. Kirk S. 598.
Cristene … and Thomas … grantis thai haif committit fornicatioun be procreatioun of ane cheild Ib.
Be procreatioun of ane cheld betuix thame 1624 Melrose P. 561.
For the weall of my hous and cheyld(b) 1549 Compl. 79/4.
The Persans sal do vitht ȝour vyuis and cheldyr at there pleseir 1562-3 Winȝet I. 54/10.
Sen I had spent my maist flurissing ȝowthheid … in techeing of cheldring 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 152.
Ane father ... quha lykes ... the blobering speches of his awine cheldrene 1637 Blairs P. 117.
I quha hes yeit three cheildrein to entertein daylie 1658 Lamont Diary 139.
He purposed to leave what he had to his cheldren 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 406.
The petitioners, ... their wyfes and cheldrein Ib. 430.
The petitioner ... and her poor cheildreen

2. A boy, lad, young fellow. (Cf. chalmer-cheild.)(a) 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 100.
To Dave Caldewell for … his awin exspencis, his chelde and his hors 1490 Ib. 175.
Til a cheld to pas to Kynneile 1501 Ib. II. 117.
To the cheld of the pantree that hed his hors slane be the Kingis quhit cursour 1507 Ib. IV. 82.
To ane cheld to pas to … Edinburgh with the Kingis writingis 1535 Stewart 32361.
Ilk cheild That worthie wes ane wapone for to weild Ib. 58922.
The ȝoung Persie, … quhilk wes ane prattie cheild a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxx. 2.
Vnder ane birkin bank me by I harde ane heynd cheild mak his mane 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 23.
Piere de Berry, ane young cheyld of Deip(b) 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 25.
For … drinksilver to the glassin wrichtis cheilder 1554–5 Ib. I. 137.
In expenssis to … the compteris, thair servands, cheldering and horssis