Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Seld, adv. [ME and e.m.E. selde (Layamon), sielde (c1290), seelde (Chaucer), silde (Trevisa), appar. a back-formation from OE seldor, seldost, in OE used as compar. and superl. of seldan Seldin; perhaps also reinforced by OE (and ME) compounds such as seld-hwanne.] Seldom. = Seldin adv. — c1490 Irland Asl. MS 5/15.
For thocht it be trew that … thou may forthynk thi syn, nevertheles it is hard and difficill to do and seld cummis in thi eild quhen all the ȝouthhed is spended in syn