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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hale, Hail(l, Heal(l, a. and n.³ Also: hal, hall(e, haale, haile, haille, hayl(l, hayle, hael(l, heal(e, hel(e, hell, heill. [Northern ME. hal(e, midl. and southern hool, hol, OE. hál.e.m.E. and ME. also had hayl, hail, heil, hæil (c 1205), chiefly in sense 1, from ON. heill.]

Whole, in various senses.

1. Sound in body, in good health.Freq. in the phrase hale and fere, see Fere a.¹(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 380.
God as fyr-schacht now com here To make thire seke men hale & fere c1420 Wynt. v. 1096.
Quhethyr evyr hale or seyke thai were Ib. 5208.
At the prayer specyalle Off Saynt Serffe he wes made hale 1456 Hay II. 117/18.
Men that ar of syk abstinence … ar lang hale 1478 Acts II. 119/2.
That smytht sall … paye the coist of the hors quhill he be hale a1500 Seven S. 1200.
He said all hale he suld him mak, Bot him behufit dyet to tak(b) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 125.
Of al seknes … thai mad [thaim] haile 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 126.
Ane haill mannis estait, In temperat warmnes, nother to cald nor hait 1513 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
All sic infectit persouns … that thay convers nocht … with haill folkis 1535 Stewart 35911.
He … fand himself … als haill a man As euir he wes quhen his seiknes began 1567 G. Ball. 9.
Beg not, and thow be haill and stark 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 77.
Gif ony of thame convalescis or becumis haill, thay to be removit 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 80.
He is oblissed onely to enter his persone, … gif he be ane haill man(c) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 1017.
The grace of God me kepyt ay In sawle, & hayle in body

b. Sound, in transferred senses. a1400 Leg. S. xl. 140.
He wes … Wyse in thocht, in counsel hale a1500 Bk. Chess 1925.
So blyth thai ar & haile of consciens Ib. 584.
Baith clene and hale but wyce was hir entent 1562-3 Winȝet I. 97/29.
Na preist … , bot sik that may instruct the peple be hale and syncere doctrine Ib. II. 47/8.
Estemit of hail fayth 1588 King Cat. 30.
Mak me hail from al langueur

c. Sound in mind or memory. 1525 Misc. Bann. C. III. 107.
I David Sincler … , seik in my bodye nevir the less hail in to my mynd 1571–2 Wemyss Chart. 202.
Johne … beand in extremite off seiknes in body, bot haile and perfitt in memorie 1584 Brechin Test. I. 100 b.
I the said Johne Andersone seik in body bot hell in mynd

2. Physically sound or unimpaired; free, or made free, from injury or wounds. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 654.
Full harde is hungyre in hale maw Ib. l. 689.
Angelis … All that brekine was, can bet, & mad hire hyd … hale & schene c1420 Wynt. v. 3994.
That na clerk suld ordyr ta, Off hys lymmys bot gyff he Ware hale Ib. viii. 6244.
Thai that held hale, sped thame full tyte To the kyng ?1438 Alex. ii. 4308.
Quha hurt or haill was, nane micht knaw a1500 Bk. Chess 1659.
The woundis that he suld mak haile a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 986.
Fra hed to fut of him was na part hale 1535 Stewart 19601.
Of hurt and haill men that mich[t] waponis weild 15.. Clar. i. 142.
Of his woundis he is not ȝit haill a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 355.
He should hav a haile pow that cals his neighbour nikkienow Ib. 557.
It is good sleeping in a heal skin 1662 Crim. Trials III. 609.
This we say thryse over, straiking the sor, and it becomes healltransf. a1500 Henr. III. 147/49.
Hir mervalus haill madinhede 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxvi.
Thocht the Scottis hes bene oftimes brokin with … weris … , yit … thay fluris hail [L. integri] unto thir dayis

b. Of healthy or fresh appearance. c1420 Wynt. i. 1339.
Flowrys … Hale of hewe, haylsum of ayre c1475 Wall. v. 599.
Weyll rewllyt of tong, rycht haill of contenance a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 602.
Baith his horse and his geir wes of ane hale hew 1533 Boece xi. iv. 408 b.
His coloure was hail & quyk 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5802.
With peirt visage and countenance richt haill a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 106.
Ȝe ar so haill of hew and hyd

c. Remedied. repaired. 1456 Hay I. 136/24, Ib. 164/26.
He mon deliver all that accioun till his lord gif he will have his scathis hale maid be the said lord 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 398.
Gude justice has … to mak the scathis hale

d. Wholesome, salubrious. c1420 Wynt. i. 1087.
For hale and pwre thare is the ayre

3. Of things: Not divided or broken in any way; sound, undamaged.(1) 1375 Barb. xi. 152.
Howis in haill clath sall be rent c1420 Wynt. v. 188.
The templis all … Fell and brak in pecis small, … That hale in to that land wes nane Tempill standand 1493 Lindores Abbey 181.
That the common kyst … be brocht hale lokkyt as it was of befor 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 177.
Item ij brandaris, ane haile and ane brokin 1533 Bell. Livy I. 118/23.
Ane hede of ane man, with visage hale, but ony corruptioun c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 85.
God will nocht haue that man that is deuydit; Bot he will haue him, saule and bodye haill a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 36.
Thouht it be lost or teint the day Quhilk thow haid haill & sound ȝestrein 1596 Dalr. I. 36/7.
Sum [trees] rottin throuch aldnes, sum agane fresche and hail 1621 Elgin Kirk S. 167.
For upholding of the kirk windowis in haell glass(2) c1420 Wynt. viii. 3011.
That alyawns to rest hale All tyme fra thine perpetualle 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. ii.
Heddirtillis yhe hau al tyme obeit the king … and kepit ane hale part til him c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 29.
Als lang in mynd my wark sall hald, Als haill in everie circumstance 1533 Boece x. xvi. 394 b.
To kepe the kinrik sauf and hail to his ȝong cousing 1585 James VI Ess. 69.
Thir … kyndes of ballatis of haill verse, and not cuttit or brokin as this last is

4. Having all its parts or its full extent; complete, entlre, total; full, perfect.Frequently in (expressed or implied) opposition to half or part of the thing; see also Half a. 1 and 3 a.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 167.
Thai without in hale battale Com purvait, reddy till assale c1420 Wynt. v. 360.
He wes … tyll Saynt Androw brodyr hale c 1456 Edinb. B. Rec. MS. (Reg. H.) 2.
The some of xl s. … in full and haile pament of the hale some of vj li. promittit be him c1515 Asl. MS. I. 227/5.
Ane richt gret spait … the quhilk brocht dovn haile housis [etc.] 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 105.
The Troiane power also can furth thring With haill rowtis 1545 Prot. Bk. A. Gaw 12.
[He sets in tack his mill] wyth hayll mowtry and girst thairof a1578 Pitsc. I. 205/18.
The king was of haill number … xxx^m abill men 1604 Stirling B. Rec. 108.
Aucht haill Utrik nobles 1611 Reg. Panmure I. p. xci.
It [Panmure] beine ane heale baronie withine the self 1626 Black Bk. Taymouth 318.
Off haill deir, iij; off furches of deir, x(2) 1375 Barb. i. 137.
Throuch thar aller hale assent, Messingeris till hym thai sent c1420 Wynt. viii. 8, Ib. 1501.
Thai delyveryd wyth hale intent, And ordanyd wardanys twys thre c1450-2 Howlat 234.
The dow … Was a corate to heir Confessionis hale c1420 Ratis R. 1429.
Gud dissert will nocht vpspring But hail purpos c1475 Wall. v. 874.
With haill power … on thaim to sett 1482 Peebles B. Rec. 191.
With a hayll alection … of the said court 1513 Doug. xi. iii. 74.
The remanent Tharto annerdis with haill voce and consent 1560 Rolland Seven S. 752.
The Empreour gaue hir credence hale a1605 Montg. Flyt. 453 (T).
For the half of our help I hauld heir is haill(3) 1498–9 Acta Conc. II. 312.
In the first haile wolk of Lentryne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 386.
Quhen he ane hal ȝear wes hanyt 1596 Dalr. II. 294/3.
Dundei [etc.] … , quhilkes a hail ȝeir skirslie culd be clinsed 1655 Peebles B. Rec. II. 33.
Ane pynt aill … to each man that shall work a haill day(4) 1607 Dundee B. Laws 411.
Ane pair of dowbill gluiffis of haill ledder, … ane purse of haill ledder 1658 Edinb. Test. LXIX. 179 b.
xij dusone off heall plaits narrow lipped 1701 New Mills Manuf. 265.
Cloaths to be ready for blacks, scarletts, or other heale collours

5. With the definite article, possessives, etc. The hale: The whole, the whole of the; all the, all of the.(1) 1375 Barb. i. 274.
Nane can tell The halle condicioun of a threll 1425 Rep. Hist. MSS. (Milne-Home) 19.
To purches the office of the hale balȝery 14.. Acts I. 386/2.
For the hail hyring to ansuer withoutyn gaynsaying 1473 Chapel Royal p. 15.
For mess bred for the hale ȝere 1527 Fam. Rose 200.
Quhilk dispensacioun salbe gottin be the haill labor and expens of the said Johne and James halele 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 68.
It is said heir that ye ar all the caus of the hayll brek and dewysyon … in Scotland 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 98.
Puttande my heale confidence in God onelie 1585 James VI Ess. 55.
Lest my preface be langer nor my purpose and haill mater following 1661 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 198.
That the … bells be rung the haill day 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. (1699) 258.
The hail probation should be used before the assize 1688 Sempill P. App. 98.
To tack wpoune him the chairg … of the heall work(2) 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 8.
The haile counsaile hes ordanit that [etc.] 1476 Peebles B. Rec. 180.
The balyeis … and the hayl comonite 1497 Edinb. Hammermen 22 b.
Ane honorabill mort clath to serf the haile craft 1569 St. A. Kirk S. 318.
In presence of the hael peple 1570 Prot. Bk. A. Lawson i.
The … subscriptioun of Robert Scott and the haill rest with Scott a1578 Pitsc. I. 8/9.
Be avyce of the heill nobillitie 1653 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 136.
The said Alexander … to acknowledge his fault, and the mistak of his haill traid(3) 1466 Acta Aud. 4/1.
The saide Margret … sall brouke and joyse the hale thrid of the said landis c1475 Wall. v. 208.
That haill hall he had set in a fyr 1488 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 170*.
The hail watter that cumis to his said myl 1539 Reg. Cupar A. II. 3.
The hale north syde of the said myre 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 301.
To lay the haill knok … all ouer with reid leid a1578 Pitsc. I. 242/9.
He tint the heill realme of Naples for defalt of guid gowernement 1590 Digest Justic. Proc. M. 15.
Burning and distroying of … his heall insycht & planeissing 1603 Stirling B. Rec. I. 107.
All tymber cuttit … with the haill bark & beuche thairof 16.. Reg. Panmure I. xxix.
He brwnt the said Jhons heale biggine 1680 Conv. Burghs IV. 22.
Their haill comon good … consists mainlie of their … harbor and comountie of their mure

b. With plural nouns.(1) 1424 Acts II. 6/2.
In the name of the haill merchandis of the realme 1475 St. Giles Chart. p. lxviii.
The dekinnis of the hale craftismen within the burgh 1550 Edinb. Hammermen 2.
Be James Ȝoung & the hale masteris 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 153.
The haill aucht seriands to … remayne contenually quhill thai ryse 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 146.
My said spous and haill bairnes 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 98 b.
Dewisioun of all landis [etc.] … amang the haile airis 16.. Hist. Kennedy 21.
Me Lord and his heill freindis was … at the bureyall 1656 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 349.
The haill fleschours … to sell thair haill tallow … according to the tounis statutis 1696 Banff Ann. i. 167.
The heall inhabitants [being] ordained to meet on Wodensday nixt … in ane generall randiewoyes(2) 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 64.
The hail offerandis for this ȝere 1503 Orkney Rentals i. 61.
The bischop withaldis the hale scattis of ij d terre 1531 Bell. Boece II. 315.
The richt that he had to the hail landis 1561 Reg. Privy C. I. 177.
Quhairby … I suld … becum dettour in the hale gudis that wer takin away a1578 Pitsc. I. 16/8.
Thaie thewis … wald … carrie thair heill guidis away 1603 Montgomery Mem. 247.
For tountifor yardes of brod rebanes [etc.]. … sum of the heall yards, xij s. 1619 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.) No. 385.
Thai sall haiff the haill bunnokis of the haill deir 1640 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 69.
The haill crem stowpis in Auld Aberdeen salbe brocht to the cross 1685 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 306.
The haill great gunnis in the towne 1692 Urie Baron Ct. 101.
Thair heall moveablis(3) 1568 St. A. Kirk S. 312.
Trial takin be us of the said Elene heal allegeances, reasonis, [etc.] 1574 Ib. 400.
The heal statutis and ordinances of the sessioun 1583 Montgomery Mem. 224.
The heale blankes contenit in the said contract c1590 Fowler II. 113/17.
To employ his hale spreits efter sic moyens 1678 Melville Chart. 180.
To doe all other things necessary anent the heall premisses

c. In other constructions, in (chiefly early) verse.In some cases capable of being taken as an adverb.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 63.
Thai tauld the king than hale the case a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 498.
Scho gert the kinge Assemble hale his barne c1420 Wynt. iv. 1612, Ib. 1649.
Hanybyll … Off Chawmpayne mowyd hale his ost c1420 Ratis R. 1439.
And thai tway thingis certanly Ar hail the law and profesy c1475 Wall. i. 343.
For thai had haile the strenthis of Scotland a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 434.
Sen hail our doughty elderis has bene … vnchargit as thril 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 162.
Haill thy meryt thou had tofor thy fall Ib. vi. 30.
He bad do schaw … haill thar answer, faland nocht 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 143.
Geuyng him haill the gouernall(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 581.
He sad hyme the suth haile c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 95.
The tytill of this tretis hale Ib. 845.
Syne lyis the lordschype hale of Pers ?1438 Alex. ii. 3444.
The barnage hale of Grece c1500 Fyve Bestes 159.
Thairin standis my awansing hale 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 5.
The Scottis sall … brouke the landis haill, Quhair thai fynd it 1535 Stewart 327.
Thair victuallis haill were consumit aw a1585 Maitl. Q. lxix. 52.
The body haill wes luifsum lawlines 1609 Gardyne Garden 71.
These royal vertues haill That thou to-fore hes found

d. Reinforced by all (in various constructions): all the hale, etc. See also Alhale a., and all and hale, All a. 5 a.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 143.
Bot of all the warld hale I draw Ib. 926.
All the nycht hale and the day ?1438 Alex. ii. 280.
His tale … lykit all the douzepers hale a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1343.
With reualing … all the oulk hale(2) 1470 Breadalbane Coll. (Reg. H.).
For the releff of all the hale landis that … Sire Colin haldis of vs 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 10.
All the haill classis sall propone themis oppinly 1570 Leslie 8.
Swa all the hail symer … I was earnistly occupied

6. With agent-nouns: Having the whole charge, etc.; complete, sole. a1400 Leg. S. xii. 137.
He hyme mad Hale kepare of al the thinge c1420 Wynt. v. 5703.
Quhen this Eraclius wes deyde, Constantyne … hale empryoure wes a1500 Henr. Fab. 1598.
Fals fortoun, quhilk of all varience Is haill maistres c1475 Wall. i. 140.
Protector haile he maid hym of Scotland 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 64.
Now Synon Is victour haill

7. a. With a sing. noun, without article: The whole of, all. a1400 Leg. S. vi. 22.
Quhen thu hale Ynd has to me Conuertyt ?1438 Alex. ii. 3842.
Today and hale to-morne baith a1578 Pitsc. I. 379/10.
Ane fair lady … havand the keyis of haill Scotland in hir handis 1596 Dalr. I. 164/28.
Doubteles hail Albion to the Romane impire he had subduet

b. Following or separated from the noun, or in apposition to a pronoun: All, all of it (them, etc.).Only in (chiefly early) verse. Passing into the adverbial use and freq. not clearly distinguishable from this. a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 299.
He … dide his payne hale To bring hym to butlas bale c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 3038.
All the apparele That to his passage nedis hale c1420 Wynt. ii. 582.
All thare ayrys deyde hale Ib. v. 4283.
All thir landis … To the crowne of Gret Brettane He ekyd hale ?1438 Alex. ii. 3959.
The laif duelt at thare counsale hale c1450-2 Howlat 579.
The barris of best gold, thocht I thaim hale knewe, It suld ws occupy all day a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1317.
All that I haue wndir hewyne, I hald of you haill 1535 Stewart 31827.
Mekle Scottis blude … had that da bene haill put to the war, Had nocht [etc.]

8. adv. Wholly, completely, altogether; fully, in full; entirely, solely. See also Alhale adv. 1375 Barb. i. 185.
Schir Edward … all the land gan occupy, Sa hale, that bath castell and toune War in-till his possessioune a1400 Leg. S. iii. 923.
He so hale set his entent To weddinge to ger me consent Ib. xxxv. 221.
God hale has forgyfine thé c1420 Wynt. iv. 1688.
Scho defamyt that abbot hale Ib. v. 504.
That kyng … hale denyit for to pay Till Rome the trewage c1475 Wall. i. 9.
Euir on fors, and contrar haile thair will a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1419.
King Dauid … Set hale in God his consolacoun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 325.
Quhen I the cure had all clene, and him ourcummyn haill 1531 Bell. Boece II. 283.
Sic thingis done, King Malcolme … gaif him haill to virtew [1570] Warrender P. 130.
The haill Forrest of Eitrik … ar haill for the Quene 1585 James VI Ess. 43.
Ane hors, when he is barded haile

b. Qualifying a numeral: Fully. c1420 Wynt. i. 347.
He come wyth geawndys hale twenty, On Brwtus and hys cumpany 1596 Dalr. I. 15/20.
Thair oft may be sene hail lx of fisher botes

c. Hale (and) togidder: All together, all in one sum, company, etc. = Altogidder adv. 1. 1466 Acta Aud. 5/1.
Ay and quhill he be … pait of the soume of x li. hale togidder vppoun a day 1480 Douglas Chart. iii.
The quhilk somme sal be pait in this maner, … tua hundereth merkis and ane half, hail and togidder 1509 Reg. Privy C. I. 302/1.
A lettre of tak … for all the termez of nyne ȝeris ful, hale and togidder 1591 Sutherland Chart. 171.
Our procuratouris [etc.] … in the feriat tyme may nocht be haill togiddir conuenit

9. n. The whole; the full number, amount, etc.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv. 1784.
He sulde be kyng off all the hale, That cummyn war be lyine female 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 250.
For xxxvj laid of colys, the price of the laid v d., the hayll xv s. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 160/24.
The hale [of the ocean] togidder is mar mychti na ony part be the self 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 55.
First help the halff and syne ourharrill the haill 1595 Brechin Test. I. 128.
Ane clow of sex hair of ȝarne to mak out the heall 1603 Montgomery Mem. II. 250.
For two yards … of lan [= lawn]. … prys of the hell xvii s. 1682 Decis. Lords F. 12.
He ought to be assoilȝied from the haill, because the Earl had entered him to the haill lands [etc.](2) 1437 Reg. Dunferm. 285.
The qwhilk land … is of quantite tua acris [etc.] … in the hale 1497 Halyb. 129.
Peter answeris for the clath in the hayll for 27 merk 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 90.
The aire of Abirdene endit the xvj day of december, quhilk is in the hale xlv dayis 1555 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 9.
Summa in the heill xvj li. [etc.] 1570 Leslie 18.
In the haill, above the nombre of fyve hundreyth men [slain] 1631 Stirling B. Rec. I. 166.
Aucht bellis, weyand in the haill aucht unce [etc.](3) 1618 Conv. Burghs III. 64.
In caice ayther of themc sal happin to … buye the samin [timber] in haill 1622-6 Bisset I. 95/5.
So that archebischopis [etc.] … sall exerceise no jurisdictioun … in haill or in pairt over thame 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II. 197.
[It is] reportit that thair is above fyftene hundreth hors in haill already 1656 Brechin Test. VI. 17 b.
Ane thousand merks Scotts money to make wpe … in heall the soume of four thousand