A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Corbel(l, Corbal(l, n. Also: corbale. [ME. corbel (a 1400), -ell, OF. corbel (F. corbeau) raven, corbel.]
1. A corbel in architecture.1443 Reg. Cambuskenneth 127.
[To] sett corballis of tre, of stane, … and pend brasis to be flure to kechingis 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 88.
For vjc xxxvj corbellis and balkis 1523 Ib. V. 220.
For v corbulis of stane put in the wallis for bering of the tua wall rasis. Item, for bering of the corbalis to the abbay 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 46.
We pyke … Round al about quhar the jonyngis war worn, Reddy to fall, and corbalys al to-torn 1521 Dunferm. B. Rec. 174.
The said Gavin sall … set furtht Twa stane corbalis to the widnes of the said … chymnay 1535–6 M. Works Acc. IV. 45.
xxiiij futis alring … and ane corball 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 305.
For outtaking of the auld brint corbellis of the foirstair 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 340.
The kirnellis, corballis, and reckis to be all aboue the rigging, … and the nether beddis thairof to be with the rigging 1639 Thanes of Cawdor 284.
Ane … squair crinell to be caseine out withe corbellis, seirges, and galconmowthis
2. A thick wooden beam suitable for making corbels. (Cf. corbel-tre.)(a) 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 84.
Payit to Noroway men for tymir … for lx gret treis … for xlvi corbales, ilk pece xij d. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 304.
For sawing of twa geistis and corbellis, ilk geist xd and ilk corbell vd 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 261.
For ane corbell to be the updrawars to the clus 1576 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 385.
For ane corbell boicht … to the styill forgains the Hospetall 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 104.
Of every hundreth corbellis, vanscott, and dailis, ane [penny], and siclik of every sorte of tymmer cumand to the said porte 1593 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 504.
For ane corbell to mak ane slipe to harle the stanis that lyis in the said flesche mercat 1617 Dundee Shipping L. 283.
Ane dossone corbells of aik, tua dossone aish, foure faldome wood(b) 1558 Treas. Acc. X. 435.
For carying of the saidis garronis, ane grit corbale, xix dalis, xi small jeistis [etc.] 1573 Reg. Privy S. MS. 4.
Off the schippis cumand fra Norroway … laidine with tymmer, of euerie hundreth geistis, ane, … of euerie hundreth corballis, ane [etc.] 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVI. 268.
Lyand in the clois nyne corballis of aik 1605 Ib. XL. 56 b.
xxxvj plankis, xiiij corballis, ane fir trie
3. Attrib. with hole, jeist (joist), tre, stone.1506–7 Rentale Dunkeld. fol. 32 b.
In lie vncostis circa remocionem tegularum & graduum dicti hospitij … pro lie corbale holis 1507 Lanark B. Rec. 17.
Ane corbell tre, planx and nalis, and werkmanship of the tolbuith staer 1565–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 225.
For ane corbell trie … to be ane pairt of the creddill of the buird 1572 Treas. Acc. MS. 241.
Ane gret corbell jeist to be ane stok to the said battard 1661 Lamont Diary 174.
The stone wall at Lundy, with the corball stones att the tope of it, … was buelt
4. Corbal(d)sailȝe [F. saillie projection], a series of corbels.1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 311/2.
Licentia ad edificandum turrim cum antemuralibus … et in capite cum le corbalsailȝe 1512 Ib. 358/2.
To erect and big his toure … with … battaling, corbaldsailȝe and uther maner of fortifiing and strenthin necessar 1529 Reg. Great S. 163/2.
Cum facultate edificandi castrum, turrim, et fortalicium … cum januis ferreis, propugnaculis, le corbelsalȝe, carcere [etc.]
