Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Chimlay, n. Also: chimla, chymlay, -lae, chemlay; schymlay, schemley; chimley, -ly; chymb-, chimblay, chimbly, -lie. [Alteration of chimnay, common in mod. Sc. and Eng. dialects.]

1. = Chimnay.(a) 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 408.
In pottis, fowr … ; in irn chymlayis, i 1558-66 Knox I. 177.
So was brought ane chymlay full of burnyng coallis 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 456.
Bochtt to the javelour ane yrne chimlay 1565 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 68.
To Margareit Flemyng ane irone schymlay 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 63.
In the chalmer thair was a grit iron chimlay, vnder it a fyre Ib. 64.
Thai band him to the chymlay … and so thai began to bait the fyre 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 103.
To warne all sic as hes choppis … having in the samyn stane chymlais within the hie gate, … that thay remove the samyn 1582 Treas. Acc. MS. 82 b.
To mend the chymlay quhair the hundis lyis 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 280.
Ane irne chymlay of sax stane wecht 1603 Dundee Acc. MS.
For bering the chimla to the stepil head & down again 1611 Hist. Kinloss A. xii.
Ane irne bak for ane chemlay 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 372.
The dores and chimlayis to be weill marbillet 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 36.
Ane iron brace and chimlay worth vj lib. 1661 Lamont Diary 139.
The Lady caused make a new chemlay for the hall of Lundy, of the newest fashion, with long barrs of iyron before, with a high backe, all of iyron behinde 1665 Lauder Journal 26.
The emblem hinging above the chimly 1672 Ib. 268.
To my wife to buy hir great chimley with 1675 Stirling Comm. Good MS. 93 b.
26 stone weight of mead irone work in chimlayes, cleicks, and rods(b) 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 119.
Thrie yron chymblayes litle & meikle Ib. 128.
Ane great chymbly with great galloues & raxes 1662 Ib. LXX. 188.
Ane chimblay worth xij lib.

2. Attrib. with brace, brod, hede, money, nuik, portrait. 1615 Haddington Corr. 290.
Ane yrone chymlae brace 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 143 b.
Four chimbly braices 1672 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 458.
He … dashed her head severall tymes to the chimley brace — 1626 M. Works Acc. XIX. 29 b.
Ffor making of mylord of Maris chimley brod blak and grein — 1532 Ib. II. 63 b.
To ane masoun for … topping of my lord Flemyngis chymlay heid 1611 Ib. IX. 6 b.
For … helping of ane schemley heid Ib. 7 b.
For highting of twa chimlay heids 1623 Ib. XVII. 2.
For putting in the first four battis in my lord Erskynes chimley heid — 1680-6 Lauder Observes 199.
The chimley money is annexed to the croun in the last King's tyme — a1585 Polwart Flyt. 686 (T).
Thow sat sa neir the chymlay nuik that made thame 1580-92 James VI Lusus R. 14.
He countis you done, & hopes … his time about to uinn the chimlay nuik 1596 Dalr. II. 397/3.
In chimlay nuikis, secreit hoilis, and sik priuat places — 1680-6 Lauder Observes 98.
The Lord Russell was found hiding himselfe behind a chimley portrait, in a void place above the chimley