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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.

Killin(g, n. Also: kylling, killine, killen. [Sc. var. of Keling n.: cf. ME. (once) kyling (1340).] A cod-fish.(a) 1516 Fam. Rose 189.
Twa hundreth herd killing 1539–40 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. XII. 100.
xxiiij dry killingis xxiiij s. 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII. 288.
Ane thousand kylling 1549 Acta Conc. Public Aff. 588.
Gadderaris of wilkis, limpettis and bait for taking and slaying of kylling 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 203.
Ane last killing twa vnce siluer 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. 179.
Threscoir … fische sic as peill killing 1577 Reg. Privy C. II. 657.
Ten thowsand peill fischeis, killing and ling [etc.] 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 237.
That he [sc. the wattir serjand] suffer naine to sell killing … and that thair be na waillit killing in the boit 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 102.
Salmon, salt, herrings, killing, sethes, and colle, With skin, and hyde, transported still to Polle c 1680 Coll. Aberd. & B. 98.
The seas abound with fishes, such as killing, leing(b) 1596 Dalr. I. 13.
[Galloway] sindrie fresch water lochis hes, that abundes in … fische, cheiflie in … killine, [etc.] 1650 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 586.
Two fresh killine 1701 Brand Descr. Orkney & Shetl. 79.
The white fishing they call the killin [etc.] Ib. 128.
Killen 1705 Old Ross-shire I. 145.
Half dussane killin £1 10. 1718 Glasgow B. Rec. IV. 21.
[Dues] Every killen boat, one killen and a codfish

b. Attrib. withfisching, tree, and wire. 1662 Law's Memor. (1818) Pref. lxxi.
The end of their meitting was to raise stormie weather to hinder boats from the killing fishing c 1650 Dundee B. Laws 26.
That the herring and kylling trees be in like maner brunt with ther own mark 1616 Edinb. Test. XLIX. 160 b.
Threttie hankis killing wyre 1628 Ib. LIV. 356.
Killing wyir