Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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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.

Heding, Heid(d)ing, vbl. n.¹ Also: heyding, -yng, heading. [Late ME. hedding (1494), hefding (a 1300).] Beheading. Chiefly attrib., as with ax, hill, stede, stock, swerd. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 594.
Christofore … than haf thai lede, Furth on to the heding stade [sic] 1513 Doug. vi. xiv. 30.
With heding swerd … Befor hym born Ib. 46.
Torquatus … with the heding axe 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 215.
The said Niniane to be haid to the heyding hill 1565 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 477.
For ane heiding sweird Ib. 481.
For careing of the heding aix to the hill 1565 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 195.
His twa handit suord to be vsit for ane heiding sword 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 105.
He then presented himself to the heading-stocke 1596 Dalr. I. 216/29.
Fra this … Hengestie settis furth lawes vnder the pane of heiding 1600 4th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 512/2.
Ane heading ax 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 260.
The hill besyd the castell hill, callit the heiding hill