Show Search Results Show Browse

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mussel(l, n. Also: musel(l, -all, mwsell, muzell, [ME. and e.m.E. musell (c 1410), -le, mosel (1426), -ul, mussel(l, e.m.E. muzzel(l, mousel(l, etc., OF. musel, muzel, mousel (F. museau), med. L. musellum. Cf. also Missel(l n.]

1. The muzzle or nose and mouth of an animal. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 521.
[Bucephalus was] small at the musell
Ib. 641.
The hors fell doun on kneis … And vp his musell held to kis his hand

2. A muzzle or covering fixed over an animal's nose and mouth. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 577.
The prince of Capadoce tuke the destreir And langald him … With hilter and with chenȝe & musell as a bere
Ib. 592.
Thay lousit the musellthat closit was with a gin
1541 Treas. Acc. VIII. 29.
Ane mvsall for ane byteand hors
1599 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 342.
For leischis, mussellis, collaris and doges cupplis

b. ? Also, an ornamental piece of armour covering a horse's nose. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1869.
His trapour of his hors and his musell Oure fret with stanis of price

3. a. The muzzle or bridle of a plough. = Missel(l n. 1. 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 26.
To gett thame knawlege quha had stollin thair plew irnes fittick and mwsell

b. The muzzle or mouth of a gun. = Missel(l n. 2. 1678 Treas. Acc. I. p. ccxxiii.
Ane unsyzed gunn callit Mons Meg, diameter in the muzell 19½ inches

4. A muffler or chin-cloth, as worn by women. = Missel(l n. 3 and Muf(f)ell n.‘A large square of material diagonally folded and worn over the chin and mouth, and occasionally included the nose’, to protect the complexion or as a disguise: see C. W. and P. Cunnington Handbook of English Costume in the Sixteenth Century (1954) 187 (s.v. Muffler). Also b. applied to a similar mask worn by lepers. In this sense appar. chiefly Sc.; also north. e.m.E. (1580–1). 1542–3 Treas. Acc. VIII. 175.
Deliverit to be thame twa coronettis and twa muselis, ½ elne ane naill blak velvet
1562 Ib. XI. 227.
Ane elne j quarter of blak welvot to be hude, musell and turet
1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI. 60 b.
Ane kyle huid … and bongrace and ane musell of veluot
1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 31.
Skin-clouts, nightsmocks, mussels
b. 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 237.
[To see] that thai [the lepers] gang vpone the calsay syd with thair mussellis on thair faice and clopperis

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Mussel n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mussell_n>

27147

dost

Hide Advanced Search

Browse DOST:

    Loading...

Share: