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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.

Cuppill, Cup(p)le, n. Also: kuppill, cuppell, -oill; cupill, -ile. [ME. cuppil, cup(p)le (114th c.), OF. cuple, later couple Coupill n.]

1. A pair of sloping rafters, or one of these. c1420 Wynt. ix. 604.
Twenty cuppill he gave, or ma, To the body off the kyrk alsua 1508 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 117.
The cuppillis sall be of the thiknes that euerye thre cuppillis sall tak the lenth of a windeous pipe staf 1513 Doug. i. vii. 55.
The entre [of the temple] rays with hie stagis of bras, With bras alsso the cupplys festynyt was 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 220/1.
To ane wricht iij dayis bindand and makand the saidis v cupple to the stable 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 54 b.
To the said kechin ruf in xiiij cupillis … with baulkis, angularis, & ryn pan 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 260.
He hes … put away the cuppillis and tymmer of ane part of thir houssis 1562 Inverness B. Rec. I. 81.
Ten pece eakin cuppillis … to big ane leaycht hall a1578 Pitsc. II. 252/3.
Thair come ane schot … and tuik avay the twa cuppillis of his chalmer abone his bed heid quhair he lay 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV. 295.
[Thai] past to the said complenaris houssis, … cuttit the cupplis of the same, and tirvit the saidis houssis 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS. 22 b.
Annie Walters dochter hes wrangouslie grippit ane kuppill of Androw Grayis, quhairof ane part wes seine birnand in hir hous c1650 Spalding I. 83.
Thair rais ane … wynd, which blew doun the cuppoillis standing vpone the queir of the College Kirk of Elgin

b. Used as a standard of length (twelve feet) in a building. 1472 Prestwick B. Rec. 20.
Willi Symsoun accusit Johne George … for the wrangwis takin awai a berne of twa cupile of his grounde 1498 Acta Conc. II. 240.
[For downcasting the house and buildings thereon] extending to xxx^ti cuppill of biging 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 109.
He sall big a mylne houss of new tymmyr, twa cuppillis, xxiiij fute lang and xvj. fute wyid 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 17 b.
The said Williame … to haue the thrid part of the barneȝard and thrid cuple of the barne and bernȝard 1566 Inverness B. Rec. I. 136.
To cast alse monye dowattis … as will thek v cuppill 1571 Ib. 205.
To big ane sufficient chalmer of tuay cuppill and ij forkis at the ower end of the … land 1621 Brechin Test. IV. 25 b.
Item tuentie cuppillis of bigginge in Northraw 1649 Peebles Gleanings 273.
The toun to extend the samin [mill] be ane new cuple and put ane new cupill thairto 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 9.
For building ane hous … of thrie cuple thrie foot lenth within the walles 1666 Rec. Alford 98.
The hall and chamber consisting of eight cuples, of one balk; … ane stable consisting of one cuple

c. Attrib. with bigging, feit, room, treis. 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 220.
For ij wall rasis put undre the cuppill feit 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 194.
Efter the heichting of the saidis voltis, xxiiij of the cupill feit being cuttit — 1567 Inverness B. Rec. I. 155.
The foirsaidis personis hes tane away out of the wod … certan blokkis and cuppill treis 1572 Ib. I. 218.
In bying and selling … of … ralis, cuppill treis, keaberris [etc.] — 1578 (1584) Reg. Great S. 227/2.
Computando quoslibet xij pedes ad unum lie cuppill bigging 1649 Ib. 809/1.
De pecia terre … extendente ad 155 pedes et 13 lie cupple biging in longitudine — 1669 Caithness Reg. Seisins MS. I. 245.
Fyve cupleroom of biggings and yeards Ib.
Alongst the back of the said 5 cupleroom

2. A set of two; a pair, brace, or set. 1484 Acta Aud. *139/2.
The … awaytaking of … a wane … and twa cuple of harowis 1490 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 67.
At thai sell the paitriks na darrer nor xvj d. the cupill, and the cuppill pluvoris for vj d. 1526–7 Treas. Acc. V. 317.
To Nicholas Aitkin … that brocht x cupillis rachis … to the Kingis grace 1535 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. VI. 153.
Ane slaid with ane cupple of harrowis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4355 (B).
Scho … ȝet at baith the endis Till scho had cassin a cuppill of quartis 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 107.
Thai … sall nwrice ane leiche of gud howndis, with ane cuppill of rachis, for tod and wolf 1587 Reg. Great S. 479/1.
Reddendo … 450 paria cuniculorum (cuppillis of cuningis) 1594 Black Bk. Taymouth 268.
Payand yeirlie owt of ilk cuppill of new calfit kye [etc.]

3. A leash for two dogs. Chiefly in dog-, rache-cuppill. 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII. 280.
For dog chenȝeis, rache cuppelis, and mending of the knok 1577 Edinb. Test. V. 197 b.
Tua pair of dog irnes … tua pair of ratche cuppelis 1599 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 342.
For leischis, mussellis, collaris and doges cupplis 1632 Edinb. Test. LVI. 23.
Fourtene dosone of doig cuples and colleris 1643 Ib. LX. 240.
Aucht pair of doig cuppellis

4. A local measure of butter and cheese. 1665 Kilwinning Reg. Acts MS. 11 Jan.
Eight pounds Scotis of the pryce of elevin cuppillis of buttir and cheis 1685 Depred. Clan Campbell (1816) 112 (J).
Item, 4 cuppells of butter and cheese