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.
Sans fail(l. Also: -fale. [ME and e.m.E. sauntz fayle (c1325), sanzfaile (c1380), sauns faille (c1384), etc., saunz faile (c1530), OF sans faille (11th c. in Tobler-Lommatzsch).] Without fail, without doubt. Only as a rhyming tag in Doug. —1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 911.
Pomponius quhais fame of lait sans faill [: Laurence of the vale; L. fale] Is blawin wide Id. Æn. i Prol. 67.
Of thé writis Macrobius sans faill [: Saturnaill; v.rr. fail] Ib. 128, etc.
