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

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

Stib(b)il(l, Stub(b)il(l, n. Also: stibyll, stible, stibbel, stybbil, stubile, stubyll, stub(b)le. [ME and e.m.E. stouple (1297), stubil (Rolle), stuble, stobil (both Wyclif), stubbull (1425), stubble (1523-34), OF stuble, estuble (both c1120 in Godefroy), late L. stupula, L. stipula.] a. The stalks (once, a stalk) or straw of grain left after reaping. Also attrib. b. fig. Something insubstantial or of little or no value or merit. c. Land that has been reaped with stubble as in a above growing upon it. Also attrib. d. proverb. As in a or c above.The Doug. quot. in a may belong in c.a. coll. 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 147.
Thai haf statut and ordanyt quhat euir thai be that takis stubyll of any land, the hous at it cummes to thar sul be tane of it vj d. to the knok 1587 Carmichael Etym. 4.
Stipula, stublepl. 1581 Ayr B. Ct. & Council Bk.
Item [it is statut] that na stubbillis be pullit(b) coll. 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 135.
The dew droppis congelit on stibbill 1537 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 185.
We ordand na stibyll to be pullitpl. 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. I 63.
It is statut that nane pull stibillis furtht of ony landis about the tounattrib. 1586 Ayr B. Ct. & Council Bk. 10 Oct.
Item that all stibill pulleris be puneist & tent in bradȝeane thairin to stand during the iuges willb. coll. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. iii 12.
Stubile [P. stobil, W. stuble] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 285.
Gyf a man big apon this foundation (I mene the faith of our salviour) gold, silvir, precious stanis, treis, hay or stybbil, the warke of ilk man sall be schawin 1551 Hamilton Cat. 288.
And eftir that day … quhasa hes biggit apon the foundatioun of our Christin faith, treis, hay or stybbil, that is to say, hes done in this lyfe ony smale or vanial synnis … sall be saiffit be the fyre 1554 Knox III 243.
The fire … hath burnt awaye with a blaste the stubble, hay, and wood a1568 Bann. MS 14b/38.
My God mak thame to be Lyk rolling quheilis Or as the stibill blawin Befoir the wind c1590 Fowler II 61/3, 9.
Be the fyre is vnderstand the tryall of the halie Gaist, be the stubil & hay courious and vnprofitabill doctreine, quhilk be the fyre … salbe tryit be the quhilks mens inuentions … salbe consumed. Bot seing vpon this place he falslie builds Purgatorie, I am gled that it is bigged vpon hay and stubbilsing. 1588 King Cat. 72.
Quhat is thy victorie if thow ourecome me, quha am les than a stible fleinge beffoire the face off the windc. coll. 1573 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 100 (27 Jan.).
Slaying of ane wedder scheip of his … on the stible of the auldtoun be his doggis 1613 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 117.
The Counsaill fynds James Reid … to have done wrong in cutting of John Rowanis hors & kowis tetheris they beand only in his stuble on Mononday last efter noun 1644 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. IV 31.
In the tyme of herveist that thay may eit in the meiddow and upoune the stibbil 1691 Musselburgh 52.
Keeping … sheep upon the toun's commone ground and stuble, from the tyme of harvest till the end of the seasonepl. 1598 Paisley B. Rec. 213.
The grit destruction of corne in tyme of hairvest be teddering of ky up[o]n stibles and keiping thame thairupon befoir the cornes be innit 1605 Paisley B. Rec. 278.
Na person … haif thair hors or kye tedderit or lowst on other menis stibbills, bot on the awners awin lands of stibbills 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. 3b.
Stibbelsattrib. 1595 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 144.
Thair is na stibbill ground perteining thairto for the yowis beild in winter 1622 Hawick Ann. 237.
The steilling of sex yoowis … off the stible land of Fentoune 1698 Acts X 151/1.
Anent quartering of souldiers … they shall not be quartered upon tennents in dispersed onsteads in the countrey upon pretence either of stuble quarters or of any other cause whatsomeverd. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1173.
Schodd in the creddle barfooted in the stible [1641 stubble]