A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1512, 1621
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Perly, -ie, Peirlie, a. [Late ME. peerly (dropys) (Lydgate), e.m.E. pearly (1608), f. Perle n.1] a. Pearl-like, pearly. b. Adorned with a pearl. = Perlit ppl. a.1 —a. a1500 Henr. III. 118/3 (B).
Perly [M. peirlie] droppis of the balmy schowris c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 14 (Ch. & M.).
The perly [M. perlie, B. perlit] droppis schake in silvir schouris —b. 1621 Edinburgh Testaments LI. 32.
Ane dosone of peirlie preines price thairof xviij s.
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"Perly adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/perly>
