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

Ell, El, n. Also: elle, yell. [ME. elle (15th c.), reduced form of ellen, eln(e Eln(e.]

1. An ell, esp. of cloth. Also comb. ell-braid, ellwide.(1) 14.. Acts I. 387/1.
The rude [sal contene] xl. fallis. The fall sall hald vi ellis 1491 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 63.
The quhilk hail croft extendis … to the quantite of a feilde rude and sex ellis 1528 Cal. Chart. (Reg. H.) Suppl.
At thair be halff ane ell of breyd on euerylk syd off the marche stanys to be free wnlawboryt for euer 1596 Dalr. I. 208/24.
He commandet the wal of Abircorne to be erected agane of viii els thik, xii els hiche 1629 Master of Works Accounts XXI. 31.
Ane cleik and ane cheinȝie ane ell lang 1640 Bk. Pasquils 103.
With … my bandeleire, My 7 yells of Flanders matche, And my sheiring suord 1666 Bamff Chart. 307.
Ane aiker and eighteen ellis of land(2) c1500 Crying of Play 39.
Five thousand ellis ȝeid in his frog Of hieland pladdis of haire 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. 30.
ix ellis of ell braid claitht 1527 Treasurer's Accounts V. 301.
Ane el crammessy satyne to be [the] bawby Jhesus of the Senyis ane coit 1564 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 138.
Ten servitouris of ell braid lynnyng 1570 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries VI. 52.
Four ellis ȝallow tauffateis, … at xxiiij s … a ell 1640 Brechin Testaments V. 291.
Four ellis of ellbraid linning cloath

b. Used as a plurall. (Cf. Eln(e 1 b, 2 b.)c1500 Crying of Play 43.
Ellevyne ell wyde met was his mouth 1566 Fleming Q. Mary 500.
Of velvat iij elle 1612 Edinburgh Testaments XLVII. 126.
Fyve ell florit satene 1670 Lauder Jrnl. 239.
For 2 elle and a quarter of borders 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 151.
5 ell draptaberrie cloath

2. The kingis ell, = Elwand 2.a1605 Montg. Flyt. 437 (T).
Be the moving of the mone, … & the kingis ell