A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1513, 1673-1688
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Revell, -il(l, n.2 Also: reff- and -ale. Also with loss of the intervocalic spirant: rewle. [ME and e.m.E. reuel (14th c.), -elle, also -eyl (Caxton), OF revel (12th c. in Greimas), f. reveler Revell v.] Noisy merry-making; festivity.In ME and e.m.E., freq. = ‘an occasion of merry-making or noisy festivity, with dancing, games, masking, acting, or other forms of lively entertainment’ (OED). a1500 King Hart 736.
Richt sall nocht rest me alway with his rewle [= Reule n.], Thocht I be quhylum bowsum, as ane waile I salbe cruikit quhill I mak rewle a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i 1313.
Sum movit [= danced] most mak revell 1513 Doug. iv v 38.
The wyntir sesson … Thai spend in lang reffell, lust, and play 1513 Ib. ix iii 210.
All the fornycht thir wachis … spend in revale [Ruddim. reuil], gam, and play 1513 Ib. v x 53.
b. Maister of the Revells, an appointment made (? once only, see quots.) by the Privy Council, and held jointly by two brothers.Cf. e.m.E. mayster of the revelles (once, in Palsgrave, 1530), and 17th c. Eng. Master of the Revels (1677).For further information on the exploitation of their powers by the brothers, see Edinb. B. Rec. X lvi and Glasgow B. Rec. III 315 note. 1673 Edinb. B. Rec. X 149.
Eduard and James Fountanes Maisters of the Revills … upon the gift procured be them from his majesties Privie Councell … the saids Masters of the Revills have powar to sett up stages … as also to imprisone any persone that acts any … play without ther allowance 1681 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs IV 29.
The great prejudice the burrows susteans be the Master of the Revillis in his chargeing persons upon generall letters for playing at cairds and dyce 1681 Lauder Notices Affairs I 326.
To complain of … Mr. Fountaine's gift as Master of the Revells, by which he exacts so much of every bouling-grean, kyle-alley, &c. … as falling under his gift of lotteries 1682 Glasgow B. Rec. III 315. 1688 Lauder Notices Affairs II 877.
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"Revell n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/revell_n_2>
