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.

Glebe, Gleib, Glyb(e, n. Also: gleibe, gleyb, gleeb(e, glieb(e, gleb, glibe, glib(be. [ME. (c 1380) and AF. glebe (1303), med. L. gleba (L. glēba, a clod of earth).]

1. The portion of land assigned to a parish minister in addition to his stipend.(a) 1476 Acta Aud. 47/2.
The wrangwis occupatioun aud manuring of the glebe and kirk lande pertening to the said vicarage 1566 Reg. Soltre 129.
The glebe aud kirklandis of Estir Wemis 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 38.
Stipendis, glebis, mansis and vther casualities collectit to eutertenie thame 1631 Irvine Mun. I. 226.
Our minister … , who has not … sic an sufficient and competent glebe as he ought to have(b) 1493 Liber Aberbr. 276.
The gleib and kyrkland of Abyrkerdor 1511 Hist. Chapel Royal 91.
With certane gres sowmes for gudyng of the said gleib 1558-66 Knox II. 341.
The mansses, yardis, and gleibes, justlie apperteanyng to the ministeris 1586 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 659.
That … such as hes or sall have manses or gleibs, sall have thair necessars therto 1600-1610 Melvill 5.
The stipend … was but fourscore lib. but ather gleib or manse 1634 Dundonald Par. Rec. 386.
The present minister … haith dotit … that parcell of grein earth lyand at the syde of his gleib … to the said schoole 1672 Inverness Presb. 24.
The minister regrated that he could not haue the benefitt of his designatione of manse and gleib in his grassing and pastorage(c) 1565 Reg. Soltre 127.
Housis, … yairdis, gleb and kirkland 1595 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 73.
The vicarages of the said benefices, with the glebbis and mansis 1615 Reg. Great S. 503/2.
Ane part of the saidis lands … to be ane gleb 1651 Annals Banff II. 33.
The parishioners wald not labor his gleb nor lead his peets 1663 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 449.
To have the benefite of leading of his cornes and fulȝie to and frae the said gleb(d) 1561 Reg. Dunfermline 426.
The [annual of the] gliebe of Stirling, x li. a1650 Row 15.
To supplicat … that ministers have housses and aikers, whilk they called manses and gliebs Ib. 111.
That all gliebs be with fredome of pasturage [etc.](e) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Mansvs.
The foure aickers of land, quhilk is graunted to the Ministers of the Evangell, … is called ane gleebe a1650 Row 153.
That abbay and cathedrall kirks have gleebs alswell as other kirks 1682 Elgin Rec. ii. 313.
They gave him possession of the said church by delivering him the key of the church door and of the gleeb and manse, as is usewall in such cases(f) 1614 Orkney Rentals ii. 118.
Gleltnes 3d. terre, … This is designed for the glyb 1622 Fife Synod 96.
Ministers … quha have farm roumes in labouring besyd their ordinar glyb 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 50.
His manse and glibb where he dwellit Ib. 51.
The viccars manis and his glibbe 1644 Lanark Presb. 38.
For the better settling of … questions anent manse and glibe 1646 Ib. 48.
A full glybe, according to the act of Parliament 1648 Soc. Ant. IV. 471.
The parish … provydet with manse and glybe and stipend 1662 Lamont Diary 193.
They went and tooke possession of the manse and glibe 1685 Glamis Bk. Record 85.
I had in excambion some eight aikers … marching with the ministers glib

b. Attrib. with aiker, field, land. 1545 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 348.
The assedatioun … of the kirktoun and gleib field and teind scheives c 1580 Liber Dryburgh 363.
The teindis of the glib landis of Lauder 1596 Melvill 335.
With the manse and haill gleib land, giff the sam remean yit unfewed 1659 Bk. Old Edinb. Club IV. 131.
The pryce of four aickers of glybeland 1675 Cunningham Diary 65.
My proportion of a glebeaiker

2. A clod-like mass; a lump or quantity. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 73.
Before quhom was borne ane birnand gleibe of fyre, in signe of his honour and divinite 1584 Sat. P. xlv. Pref. 53.
Judas Iscariot, for a gleib of geir, Betrayed his maister lyk a traytour tod 1600-1610 Melvill 123.
A glib of the collage gear settlet that