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.
Quotation dates: 1596-1648
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Jelly, Jellie, a. [Sc. variant of Joly a. Cf. also Gelly.] a. Gay, light-hearted, jolly. b. Gay in appearance, brave, showy. c. Splendid, fine, grand (persons). — 1596 Dalr. I. 7/17.
The woddes … are verie jocund and jellie, and … in a maner peirles in pleisour 1596 Ib. 268/24.
This Jhone, quha naturalie was iocund, jellie and mowsum, was … in fauour with the King 1638 A. Cant Sermon in Kerr Covenants & Covenanters (1895) 103.
Numbers mocked and thought themselves over jelly to come in ?a1648 Polemo-Middinia 35.
Duncan Oliphantus … & ejus Filius eldestus joly [v.rr. Jelly] boyus
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"Jelly adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/jelly>
