A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400, 1535-1656
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Top-sail(l, n. Also: tope-, toppe- and -sall. Pl. also -salis. [ME and e.m.E. topseil (Gower), topte saile (1399), toppe-saill (16th c.).] A sail set above the lower sail on a ship, the highest sail. Also attrib. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1963.
So the Grekes to dissaif … That thar suld seme plane land … Quhare thai mycht hald thar cours saifly Tharfor with topsall all & sum Vpon the craggis suld cum 1535 Stewart 683.
Tha salit fast that tyme befoir the wynd With fuksaill, topsaill, manesall, musall, and blynd 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XIV 152.
The foir saill ane mane mesall ane small mesell ane blind & tua top salis 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 41/24 (see Top n.1 5).
Top salis ?1599 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 38b.
Deborset for canwas to be ane tope sall 1622-6 Bisset II 259/25.
The boitisman aw to have the top saillis of everie schip … or … ane rose nobill of compositioun 1656 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 1014.
It is ordanit that the vessell careing twa toppe sailles vplift of anckarage nyne shillings Scottisattrib. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 41/16.
Hail on ȝour top sail scheitis, vire … ȝour top sail trossis, & heise the top sail hiear. Hail out the top sail boulene
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"Top-sail n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/top_saill>
