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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.

Chopin, Choppin, n. Also: chopine, -ing, -yn, chopen(e, -ein(e, -eing, choipin; chopping, -ein(e, -ene, choippen, choppoun. [ME. chopyn (rare), OF. chopine. Cf. Schoppin and Chapin.]

1. A liquid (rarely dry) measure equal to a (Scottish) half pint.(a) 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
Sua this new boll now maid weyis mare than the auld boll be xli lib., quhilkis makis twa galonnis & a half & a chopyn of the auld mete 1507 Dunferm. B. Rec. 163.
A yetlyne pane of a chopyn 1541 Ayr Common Good Acc. MS.
For ane chopin of oil doliue to the bellis, iij s. 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 124.
For ane chopine ule to the bell 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 6.
The vj regentis euery man thre chopins of ayl … dayly 1607 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 167.
vii chopenes of winiger 1614 Crim. Trials III. 352.
He … thairefter ȝeid with him … to get ane chopein of wine 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 359.
For euirie chopin they [the wives] sall drink they sall sit xxiiij houris in the lang gadde 1630 Bamff Chart. 224.
Thrie pans of brass, therof ane of sex pynts, ane uther of fywe chopins, the uther thrie mutchkins 1663–4 Irvine Mun. II. 267.
Five chopins of wyn, … 5 chopins of ayll 1676 Ib. 274.
Ane muchkin of seck and ane chopeing of aiell 1683 Reid Scots Gardner 174.
For every three pound of stampt fruit, use a chopin of water(b) 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 277.
For thre choppinnis of oly lingeat to it [sc. the port-cullis] 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 111.
Ane confrarie and bruderheid of ventaris of wyne quhilkis payit of euerye puntioun wyne ane choppoun to Sanct Anthonis alter a1605 Montg. Flyt. 470 (T).
The kow [to] give ane choppin [that] wes wont give a quart 1610 Irvine Mun. II. 251.
Ane choippen of wyne and ane lang breid 1644–5 Misc. Spald. C. V. 164.
Aucht pyntis and ane choppein of Spanish wyne 1646 St. Andr. Presb. 35.
That he prophanelie asked, quhat he could doe, till the last bell on the Lords day, bot goe and drinke a chopping of wyne 1661–2 Irvine Mun. II. 264.
2 quarts aill … a choppein wyn 1680 Ib. 277.
One choppin of seck

2. A vessel of this capacity. 1478 Acta Aud. 67/1.
A quart, a chopin of tynne 1528 Stirling B. Rec. I. 33.
The baillies sall caus all … pyntis, quhartis and chopynnis to cum to the tolbuith, and met and misour the samyn 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 176.
Ane quart, ane poynt, and ane choppin 1546 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 123.
That na maner of taverneris sell thair wynis … with ony chopin bot with the chopin that hes the townis merk 1551 Ib. 161.
That na ressaving of wyne be fundin … be the tauernaris choppingis in the nychtbouris pyntis 1581 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 85.
For making of the jug met of bras, pynt and chopin, vpoune his awin expenssis 1595 Ib. 172.
All thair bynd of stoippis, … as quartis, pyntis, choipines and mutskines

3. Attrib. with bickar, flacoun, mould. c 1578 Maxwell Mem. I. 312.
Ane choppin flacoun, ane tin wattir pot 1589 Exch. R. XXII. 73.
Ane tin flacoun; ane chopin flacon 1637 Brechin Test. V. 221.
Fyue choppin bickaris 1645 Edinb. Test. LXI. 184 b.
Ane choppeine mould with ane lid