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

Feld(e, Feild, n. Also: feilde, feylde, fyeld, fylde; field. [ME. feild(e, feeld(e, feld(e, OE. feld.]

1. A field.Examples in early place-names are Wytefeld (c 1200), Westfeld (1294), Prestfeld (1327), Sefeld, Wodefeld (1358); also Lyllochefylde (1293), Hwytfyld (1333).(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 68.
Quhen … feldis florist ar with flowris c1400 Troy-bk. 570.
In myddes of the feldes … Without the walles of the toune c1420 Wynt. i. 405.
Baith felde and fyrth oure-flet that flude 1456 Hay I. 195/15.
To mak certayne labourage on the felde, bathe on cornis and wynis c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 250.
In quhite and rede was all the felde besene 1554 Liber Dryburgh 290.
In wod and feld quhair ony guid of the towne is pasturit and fed 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 156 b.
Alewyn rud of land in the feld callit … fowlar croft 1659 Hay Diary 76.
To give either the east or west syd of his feld for a cartgate(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 862.
[Him] tyd one a tym to gang Apone the feild his corne ymange 1484 Acta Conc. *89/2.
[Taking them] furth of thair beddis in the nycht and having thaim to the feildis 1513 Doug. iii. i. 27.
A weirly cuntre … , With large feildis lauborit ful of fens Ib. viii. Prol. 163.
I fand not in all that feild … a be byke 1535 Stewart 30100.
He grew into sic eild, As he wes wont he micht nocht walk on feild 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 37.
He … passing to the feildis in pastyme, convenit and met him Andro Keyth 16.. Hist. Kennedy 151.
Being than vpoun the feildis agaitward towards him 1663 Nicoll Diary 362.
The feilds are replenisched with dait treesfig. a1400 Leg. S. xl. 210.
Quhen he [had] mad playne Godis feilde a1568 Bann. MS. 139 b/102.
In tyme abyd, the feildis ar wydetransf. 1513 Doug. viii. xii. 52.
Neptunus feildis … wolx blandit red of blude

2. A field of battle; a battle.(a) 1375 Barb. xiii. 443.
Qwhen at the feld so cleyn was maid Of Ynglis men, that nane abad c1420 Wynt. iii. 853.
The Medys nere had hade the felde, Na ware the wywys Ib. v. 4568.
The kyng than wan the feld in fycht 1456 Hay I. 57/7.
Sik destruccioun of blude was never before that tyme sene in a felde 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 122.
To Qwariour … to pas to Stirling to get culuerinis to bring to the felde c1515 Asl. MS. I. 249/5.
He was slane in the feld fechting 1513 Doug. x. ix. 82.
Quham Eneas assalyt myghtyly And gan do chays owt throw the feld(b) 1492 Myll Spect. 294/4.
Modred … gadderit sic nomber of folkis that he gaif a feild till his vnkle c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 141.
Richt suddanlie thai had ane feild arrayit c1515 Asl. MS. I. 220/11.
The erll of Craufurd … was hurt in the feild 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 396/1.
Becaus Patrik Scot his fader … decessit in the Kingis feild and service in Ingland 1535 Stewart 21883.
To Scot and Pecht that wes ane cairfull feild 1547 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 359.
In the meyntyme … the said Alexander wes slane in this last feild [sc. of Pinkie] a1578 Pitsc. I. 272/25.
We will return … to the feild as disconfeit on this maner 1622-6 Bisset II. 345/24.
He wes slane in battell in the feild called the Markfeild c1650 Spalding II. 201.
This feild wes foughten vpone Sonday, … vpone a fair heth or mvretransf. a1500 Bk. Chess 2073.
In this sport quhar victor suld be had Quhen to the king chek in the feild is maid Ib. 2077.
The feild is tynt & his victour ago(c) 1570 Leslie 23.
In the meane tyme of the fyeld, Archebald Douglas … brint the peill of Strathboggie

b. Const. of (the place of battle) or with attrib. name. c1420 Wynt. iv. 708.
In the feld of Maratone 1491 Acta Conc. 201/2.
Throw the said James being contrare our souerane that now is at the felde of Striuiling 1518 Chart. Cupar A. II. 118.
Quhill [= until] efter the fylde of Floden quhar his fader deit 1518 Reg. Privy S. I. 470/2.
Sen the deces of … William Lyoun heretare thairof, in the feild of Floudoun 1561 Inverness B. Rec. I. 69.
Sen the daid of our gude nychtbouris … in the feyld of Pinkkecluycht a1578 Pitsc. I. 2/15.
Schir Williame Bruce … quha hes wrettin … all the deidis sen Flowdome feild

c. Without article, esp. in, or on, felde, in battle.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv. 546.
Mony a scheld Was all to frwschyd left in felde Ib. vi. 1577.
Ethelred … mellayid offt on feld in fycht 1456 Hay I. 42/24.
Romulus discomfyte thame in fair felde with bataill Ib. 61/15.
Schir Pompee … fled nocht, bot bade him stoutly in felde c1475 Wall. i. 427.
We ar chapyt, bot in feyld slane are thre Ib. ii. 346.
Or he deces, Mony thousand in feild sall mak thar end c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 22.
He takis the knychtis into feild 1513 Doug. ii. i. 33.
Heir the ostis warwont to joyn in feild c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 232.
Diuers greit kingis in feild he did vincus(2) 1375 Barb. ii, 374.
Thar fais … so fayr had off the fycht That thai wan feild ay mar & mar 1456 Hay I. 284/26.
Myn advys is thare suld na prince … hald felde of bataille in lissis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 266/5.
The king of Yngland fled and durst nocht abyde feld a1500 Bk. Chess 600.
Alsone as the caise thai vnderstand, Thai ȝeid to feild 1531 Bell. Boece II. 43.
Seand his ennimes appeir of sic strenth … that he micht not weil geif thaim feild

d. A place of single combat or tournament; the victory in this. 1456 Hay I. 72/5.
Quhethir it be … laufull thing till entre in clousit felde Ib. 73/6.
It is oft tymis sene that he that has gude rycht tynis the felde c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 63.
The sowtar furth affraitlye Wnto the felde he soucht a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiii. 26.
Far rather had I ȝeild, Nor feght and tyn the feild

e. A fighting force; an army in the field. c1475 Wall. ix. 1071.
The twa feildys togidder relyt than Schyr Jhon Sewart 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser.
To appoint a lieutennent colonell, serjant major, corporall of the said feild

3. The surface of a shield, esp. in heraldry. ?1438 Alex. ii. 1227.
Cassamus hit him in the scheild Quhill splenderis flew out of the feild c1450-2 Howlat 346.
Twa keyis our croce … In a feild of asure Ib. 352.
In a feild of siluer … he beris Ane egill c1475 Wall. ix. 114.
A bar off blew in till his schenand scheild, A bend off greyn desyren ay the feild c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 97.
On feild of gold he stude full mychtely 1509 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 275.
The armys of the Symsonis. The feilde is of asure 1549 Compl. 68/25.
Sche bure ane scheild, in the quhilk vas grauit ane rede rampand lyon in ane feild of gold

b. The ground of a banner or painted surface. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 475.
Ilka souerane his ensenye schewin has thair; Ferly fair was the feild 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 373.
That the jeistis be all weill paintit, the feild thairof blew with flouris going all along thame and antikis

4. Attrib. with cart, chapel, dyke, game, rude, stane. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 14.
The Jow … That in feld chapel lay 1491 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 63.
The quhilk hail croft extendis … to the quantite of a feilde rude and sex ellis 1533 Boece iii. xxi. 121 b.
Thai walit ane place for batell hegeit with ane feild dyke 1540 5th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 609/1.
Fra that linealie carne be carne as is crossit and pottit be us to the feild stane c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2656.
Than tuke thay thare vayage In Angusse, tyll the feild chapell of Dron a1568 Scott i. 181.
Frak ferce gallandis for feild gemmis enfors 1580 Reg. Privy C. III. 370.
The bodie of ane feild cairt for powder and bullet