A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1649-1691
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(Haly,) Halie, Helly man. [Haly a. (1).] A euphemism for: the Devil. In halie mans ley (Ley n.3), a piece of land left untilled as an act of propitiation of the Devil, a ‘goodman’s croft' (see Gud(e)man n. 1 c). — 1649 Cramond Ch. Boyndie 12.
Alwayes it wes found that ther wes some piece of land in this parochme unlaboured, called the halie mans ley, dedicated to superstitious uses c 1691 In McPherson Primitive Beliefs 138.
[John Clark in Rothiemay delated for giving a piece of his land as] helly man's lye. [His father had also at a former time given off a piece of land]
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"Haly Man n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/haly>
