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

Jewel(l, Jewal(l, n. Also: jeuel(l, -elle, jewalle, jewle, jeull, jeoull. Plur. jewellis, jewallis, etc., also jewell. [e.m.E. and ME. jewel(le, ME. jewle (1477), iewele, gewel, gywel (1297). Cf. Jowal(l and Juell.]

1. A costly article, esp. one used for decoration or for personal adornment; a precious ornament; also, a precious stone, a gem. in plur., (a person's) valuables, the treasures (of a church).(a) 1527 Caldwell P. 58.
Togidder with the gold rings, precius stanes, uther jewell, and obligationis, being in ane lettron 1541 Treas. Acc. VII. 423.
This gold wark and jewellis eftir folowing, … thre chenȝeis [etc.] 1571 Leslie in Misc. Bann. C. III. 121.
With ane litill coffer with sum jevuelles thairinto a1578 Pitsc. I. 66/18.
[He] spullȝeit kirkis … and committit the jewellis thairof to his prophaine use 1596 Dalr. I. 48/4.
With it [amber] women uses to … hing about thair halse for jewelis, coloris or broches 1603 Philotus xi.
Ane ground-riche man, … He wants na jewels, claith nor waith c1650 Spalding I. 262.
He gaue to hir the haill jewellis and goldsmith work belonging to hir defunct mother 1651 Acts VI. 608/2.
To restore to ws our … wreattes and jeuelles(b) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 324.
Thir jewallis [the regalia] wer maid of brace, and doubill ourgilt with gold, becaus the principall jewellis … mycht not be haid 1596 Dalr. I. 94/10.
Bracelets about thair armes, iewalis about thair neck, broches hinging at thair halse 1610 Crim. Trials III. 100.
Ane box of jewallis, … in the quhilk was … certane blude-stanes and dyuerse dyamontis 1656 Melville Chart. 175.
All and sindrie … jewalles, gold, silver, cwinȝiet and uncwnȝiet(c) 1659 Edinb. Test. LXIX. 224.
Insight plenishing, jeullis, go[l]d, silver(d) 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 94.
Of my gold silver jeoullys

2. fig. Applied to a person. 1620 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 331.
My jewell is weil … and her sweit kymmer and sister

3. attrib. in Jewal Hous. 1595 Misc. Spald. C. II. 129.
Within the Jewle Hous of the Cathedrale Kirk of Murraye Ib. 131.
The Jewale Hous

b. Jewell coal: in the mod. dial., a special high-grade coal with a clear shining surface. Also jewell road, i.e. leading to the jewel coal. 1673 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
Splente coall jewell coall 1691 Ib.
[For] sincking the said blind sincke to the jewell coall Ib.
The jewell road