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 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slang, n. Also: slange, sclang, slaing, slayng, sling, slung. [e.m.E. slaing (1521), slang (1539), slinge (1547), MDu., MLG slange a serpent, cannon, etc.] A cannon, similar in type to a serpentine.‘Sometimes.. coterminous with serpentines .. sometimes they may be distinguished as .. heavy pieces.’ ‘Slangs were substantial, sometimes very elongated, long-range pieces’ D. H. Caldwell (ed.) Sc. Weapons (1981) 96, 132.Also attrib. with peice (Pece n. 14). 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 222.
x heid stekkis and ane lang slang witht thair stokkis and chalmeris 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 354, etc. 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 118.
Four slangis … tane furtht of the Unicorne 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 129.
Small quhelis for slangis … ourlaid witht tar 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 319.
For steking of ane slang put in the Lyoun at hir departing witht the ambassatourris 1549 Compl. 41/33.
Slangis, & half slangis, quartar slangis 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 166.
Barromen to help to beir the greit slangs to the schoir 1556 Caldwell Sc. Weapons 133.
Two slangs of irne without stokkes and with two chalmeris to ather of thame 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 240.
Gevin to four men for bering of Johnne Morisonis twa gryt slangis till the flesche merket, ij s. vj d. 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 285.
Ane small slang 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 285.
For doun taking of … twa slangis of the Blakfreir blok husche 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 285.
Sclangis 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III 179.
Twa slangis with thre chalmeris 1577 Reg. Privy C. II 659.
Thre dowbill slangis 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 352.
For sex lead of coalles to the breaking of the slang 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 352.
Slange(b) 1571 Treas. Acc. XII 274.
For bullettis to the slaingis and yetlingis 1599 Edinb. B. Rec. V 250.
The thesaurer to … speik with Jhonn Kyle … quhatt may be gottin for the tounis slayngs lyand in the kirkyard of Leyth(c) 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 70.
Thair is in thair schip … ane falcoun … thre quarter slingis and ane half sling [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 251/28.
Hir [sc. the ship's (the Great Michael)] artaillȝe … to wit … mony cannons … witht iij^c schott of small artaillȝie that is to say mayan and batterit facouns and quarter fallcouns, slingis, pestelent serpitantis [etc.](d) 1594 Aberd. B. Rec. II 93.
Twa peice of artailȝeirie, callit twa half slungisattrib. 1638 Black Bk. Taymouth 392.
Field peices, hagbutes … sling [pr. sluig] peices