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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.

Jackteleg, Jockdeleg, Jockleg, n. and attrib. Also: jack the leg, jock the leg [? Formed as Ja(c)ktaleg,phr. Also in later Sc. as jockteleg, joctaleg, jock-to-leg; north. Eng. dial. (1777– ) have jack-leg, -lag, jack-o-legs, jacka-, jackylegs, jocka-, jockylegs, in the same sense.The derivation from ‘Jacques de Liège’, advanced by Lord Hailes in his Scottish Glossary (c 1776) and repeated with variations in many subsequent writings, appears to be without substance. In The Connoisseur, XCI, 1933, p. 387, C. R. Beard suggests that jackteleg, like the 17th c. F. (1622– ) and mod. dial. F. jambette (dim. of jambe leg) a clasp-knife, may contain an allusion to the leg-like shape of the hafts of early knives of this kind.]

A clasp-knife. Also attrib. with knife.(a) 1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 233.
Auchteine jackteleges at ix s. the peice, … Elevin vther blak knyfes of that samyn sort 1695 Foulis Acc. Bk. 174.
To a new blaid to my wifis jack the leg knife, 0, 8, 0(b) 1664 Inventory 3 in Decr. Dalr. XI.
Item, tuo jockdelegs, item, four penknyves 1672 Foulis Acc. Bk. 6; 1702 Ib. 306.
For a jock the leg knife, 00, 08, 0 1689 Ib. 112.
For a jock the leg sueding knife(c) 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 159.
15 souse on a iockleg, my Scots on heing stolen from me 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX. 138.
Ane duson and ane halfe of jock legs at xiiij s. the dusone