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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Five, Fyve, Fif(e, num. Also: fiff(e, fyf(fe, fyfe, fyif(f, fiw(e, fyw(e, fyiwe; fawe, fayf, fayv(e, faive. [ME. fyf, fiffe, fif, and fyve, five, OE. fíf, fífe.]

1. The numeral five, in attrib. or absol. use.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 381.
Fiffe men or sex Ib. vi. 247.
He vald beir doun weill four or fiff 1399 Holyrood Chart. 113.
The fiffe mark … contenit in the chartir 1490 Irland Mir. I. 6/6.
In the perdicioun of the fif citeis 1500 Carnegie Lett. & Chart. 523.
In the ȝere … a thousand and fiffe hundretht ȝeris 1546 Reg. Cupar A. II. 36.
Thay payand … for thair teind fif bollis beir(b) 1375 Barb. viii. 181.
That fyffe hundir mycht sammyn ryde a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 117.
Thai that tynt had wittis fyffe c1420 Wynt. i. 1374.
Off langagis in Bretayne sere I fynd that sum tym fyff thare were 1473 Prestwick B. Rec. 22.
Heretable stat of the said fyff rodis 1511 Wemyss Chart. 129.
A thowsand fyf hwnder and alewyn yeiris 1535 Stewart 61278.
I pray to Jesu for his woundis fyffe 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 315.
Thay twk … foir or fyf Bretonis 1589 Liber Offic. S. Andree 170.
The ȝeir of God ane thowsand fyf hundrycht fyfty and nyne ȝeiris(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 1124.
Dais fyfe atoure that [he] bade 1450 Reg. Great S. 84/1.
Til endure for all the termes of fife yeris c1475 Wall. iv. 498.
Fyfe of hys awne to berynis he gart leid 1538 Treas. Acc. VIII. 160.
For fyfe bedonis to the pantreman 1549 Compl. 11/24.
He chesit fife of the best lyik 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 352.
For fyfe pikkis and mattokis 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 588.
Fyfe pownd sterling which is annwally payed(d) 1465 Misc. Bann. C. III. 193.
The ȝher of God ane thousande four hundretht sexty ande fyiff ȝheris 1528 Breadalbane Coll. MS. No. 42.
Ane thowsand fyif hundreth and twenty aucht ȝeiris 1580 Coll. Aberd. & B. 391.
Of scottis coveringis xvj, thairof fyiff red and yallow lynnit 1590 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 49.
The forsad Robert sall … pay to me … fyif merkis 1594 Grant Chart. 185.
Fyeff hondreth markis(e) c1420 Wynt. iv. 289.
The wallys ware fyve and twenty elne brade 1466 Acta Aud. 3/2.
Fyve merkis of annuel a1500 Rauf C. 33.
Be fyue mylis braid c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 11.
The wrang spending of my wittis fyve 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 63.
At fyve houris at evin 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX. 290 b.
Fyve chaffeiris of bras 1644 Ib. LX. 376 b.
Fyv meikill coadwairis of lining 1686 Irvine Mun. II. 307.
To the coalyieris ffyve pyntis of aill(f) a1400 Leg. S. xli. 22.
Fywe beneficis reknand c1420 Wynt. v. 399.
Thare … his lywe Twenty yhere he led, and fywe 1449 Reg. Aberbr. 76.
Fiw hundyr mark of vsuale money of Scotland c1475 Wall. viii. 1.
Fywe monethis thus Scotland stud in gud rest 1514 Lennox Mun. II. 208.
A thousand fiwe hundreth and xiiij ȝeris 1531 Reg. Soltre 197.
Ane thousand fyw hundreth thretty and ane yheris 1556 Liber Calchou 482.
Allowit to the comptare be deliuerance maid to the fiw pensionaris 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 357.
Fywe vnce … of ballinȝe pasmentis 1620 Grant Chart. 319.
The sowme of tuentie-fyiwe merkis … Scottis monie 1670 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 220.
The soume of fywe thowsand merks(g) 1574 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 15.
Within the space of fawe yeiris c 1639 Black Bk. Taymouth 439.
Ane four or fayf houndir [trees] 1644 Wemyss Corr. 90.
The Irischis … hes killit faive men 1651 Montgomery Mem. II. 314.
Fayv ringis with dayamount c 1678 Reg. Panmure I. lxv.
They … wound his hands faive tymes

b. In attributive combinations. 1527 Caldwell P. 61.
The said fif merk land of Cauldwel 1568 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 255.
For makin of ane band of iryne to the fywe hour bell 1577 Inverness B. Rec. I. 253.
Auchtene pece of fyff schilling testounis c 1578 Maxwell Mem. I. 311.
Ane pistolatt crowne, ane fyif actioun croune 1589 St. A. Baxter Bks. 46.
That na brother … sell to ony nybur sex penny braid for fyve penny braid 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 272.
Thrie oxin blak collerit of v ȝeir auldis 1662 Melrose R. Rec. II. 12.
Ane five merk pece of gold 1672 Highland P. I. 252.
The five-merk land of New Calgadie

2. ellipt. Five o'clock. 1530 Soc. Ant. II. 393.
To steik the ȝetts at viij hours at ewyn and opyn thaim at fyf in the mornyng 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 11.
At halfe houre to five knel; at v ryng

3. Fifth. 1492 Reg. Episc. Morav. 247.
The fyv day of … the yer of our Lord … nynti and twa 1520 Argyll Lett. i.
The tuenty fyif day of … Maij Ib.
The fywe day of Julij