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 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Elf, n. Also: elfe, elff(e, elph(e, pl. elvys, -is. [ME. elfe, elf (also alfe), OE. ælf.]

1. An elf, a fairy. a1500 Henr. Orph. 242.
Thouch scho be like ane elf, Thare is na cause to plenye a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 36.
Ignorant elf, aip, owll irregular Ib. 345.
Thow lufis nane Irische, elf, I vnderstand 1513 Doug. viii. vi. 7.
Nymphis and Fawnys, … Quhilk fairfolkis, or than elvys, clepyng we Ib. x. Prol. 154.
I wirschip nowder ydoll, stok, nor elf a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 51.
Leyd nocht thy lyf lyk ane elf That our the feild can slyde 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 7.
Ane elphe, ane elvasche incubus a1605 Montg. Flyt. 256 (T).
Half ane elph, haif an aip, of nature denyit Ib. 466 (H).
Ilk elffe of them all brought ane almous hous oster 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I. 121.
Thow affirmis that the elphis hes schapes and claythis lyk men … bot ar starker nor men

2. Attrib. and comb. with boy, bull, folk, schot (n. and p.p.), shooting, stone. 1662 Crim. Trials III. 607.
As for elf-arrow-heidis, the Devill shapes them (and delivers them) to elf-boyis Ib. 604.
Ther wes elfbullis rowtting and skoylling vp and downe thair 1590 Digest Justiciary Proc. M. 22.
That thow wald gang in hillis to speik the elff folk c1500 Rowll Cursing 68 (M).
Never to be but schot of blude Or elf schot, thus to conclude 1591 Crim. Trials I. iii. 231.
Scho be hir wichcraft declarit, that the seiknes that he had was ane elfschot 1650 Maxwell Mem. I. 352.
When kine wer elfe-shote … [She] confessed that shee had so graiped certaine kine 1650 Ib. 358.
Elfe shooteing cured by three fingeris of different persons putt in the holl 1659 Sc. Law Times (1935) 169.
She perceaved her thombe shot through with that which they call ane elffe stone