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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Child, Chyld, n. Also: childe, chylde, chyle, chyild, chaylde, schild, schyld; pl. childer, -ere, -ir, -yr, -ar, chylder, -ir, -yr; childrin(e, -yn(e, -en(e, -eene, -ein(e, -eyn(e, -eane, -erin, -erene, -areine, chyldreine, -erein, schildreine, shildrein, shil(l)drin; childr(e)ing, -yng, -ering, -eryng, chyldering, chayldring, schildring. [ME. child, chyld, pl. childer, -ir, etc., child(e)ren, chyldrin, etc., OE. cild, pl. cildru. See also Cheld(e n. The plurals in -ene, -eine, etc., and -ing, -yng, appear to be peculiar to Scottish.]

1. A young boy or girl.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 73.
Thane tuk scho the chyld priwely & gert foster it tendyrly c1420 Wynt. v. 1995.
The chyld than gert thai tendyrly Be nursyt, quhill thare wes gane by Oure hys eyld full sewyn yhere 1456 Hay I. 253/1.
To tak at thair plesaunce a childe, and mak him thair aire, takand him for a conquest bairn c1420 Ratis R. 1128.
Sa lang havis child wyl alwaye With flouris for to jap and playe c1475 Wall. i. 145.
Scotland was lost quhen he was bot a child a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 350.
He is maid on mold meik as ane child c1515 Asl. MS. I. 257/24.
This Kenneth statut … that the nixt of the blud, suppos he war a child of a ȝere ald, suld succeid to the crowne 1545 Douglas Corr. 155.
The hole pepille belevis that … ther is no thing bot detht to … , man, veymen, and chaylde 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3779.
Ane ȝoung childe, of ȝeiris being sa ȝing 1567 G. Ball. 152.
Quhen I was bot ane chylde, … The Jewis did me dispyse a1578 Pitsc. II. 61/6.
Thair was ane body of ane ȝoung chyld found in ane kaise of leid(b) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 661.
A child thai saw hym playand, As ȝonge childir ar wont to do 1416 Maxwell Mem. I. 150.
The said Iamys [to act] as tutowr to the perfyt eld of the said childir c1420 Wynt. viii. 4285.
Nane durst thaim than wythsay … Bot chvldyr Ib. 5573.
Chyldyr and women for to sla 1464 Peebles B. Rec. 152.
Schyr Wylyam Blaklok … to be sculmaster and tyll teche the chylder 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 305.
To ij childer that chasit dukis in the dubbis 1513 Doug. x. ix. 63.
Sa mony talentis … Do kepe onto thy small childyr and ayris 1535 Stewart 3869.
All ȝoung childer sould rudlie nureist be In meit and drink 1562-3 Winȝet II. 58/9.
The samyn ar auld men quha afoir wes childer(b) 15.. Clar. iv. 2464.
In come ane gyse Of small chyldreine a1578 Pitsc. I. 190/12.
Fra tyme he was in possessioun of thir twa childreine foirsaid 1612 Bk. Rates 288.
Babeis or puppettis for childrene 1613 Highland P. III. 127.
Wyfis and ȝoung childrine murthoured 1625 Edinb. Test. LIII. 56.
The … said fatherles childreine 1655 Douglas Chart. 340.
To be tuttores to the said childreine(c) 1513 Doug. ii. xii. 13.
The ȝyng childring … Stude al on raw, with mony petuus screik 1545 Douglas Corr. 157.
The extreme vare that is usit off killing veyman and ȝung childering 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10106.
Bot ȝit nane wist that the childring was slane a1578 Pitsc. II. 300/18.
The castell schot downe gret ordinance … and slew sindrie men, wyffis and childring 1597 Bk. Rates 2 b.
Babies or puppettis for barnis and childring 1629 Stirling's Royal Lett. I. 343.
To … mak ressonabill offers unto the said widow and childring … for assithment 1679–86 Wodrow MSS. 4to. XXXVII. No. 13.
Ther wives and some smalle childering remaning

2. A lad or boy, a young fellow; spec. a young servant, attendant, or apprentice.See also chalmer-, chamber-child.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 128.
Rayse this chyld [= a ȝunge mane, 104], that al ma se c1420 Wynt. i. 201.
A child [= boy, 206] bad him he suld draw nere Quhar that he said he saw a dere 1456 Hay II. 36/8.
Quhen a childe is maid knycht, he thinkis nocht on the poyntis of the ordre that he sueris to kepe 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 15.
To a child of the chalmire … ij sarkis c1475 Wall. iv. 24.
Wallace … Our tuk the child Schyr Ranaldis sowme couth leid a1500 Rauf C. 235.
[I am] Ane chyld of hir chalmer 1513 Doug. vi. v. 55.
Anchis get, heynd child, curtas and gude 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. 34.
The inqueist ordanis the chyld to be restorit to his scheip agane 1533 Bell. Livy I. 149/12.
Than was in Rome ane nobill childe of hie sprete and curage Ib. 258/30.
Ane feirs and hardy childe c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 297.
Maister Talbart said: My gude chyld, It wer maist lyk that thow wer wyld 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1374.
This Quene … Willing put down this proper chyle [: fyle](b) 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 42.
Sex chyldir to uphald and minyster Goddys seruice in the sayde qwere and kyrk 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 97.
The bere, quheyt, and yrn, he tuk fra my childyr in Abyrden 1476 Peebles B. Rec. 176.
The childer that sall serue in the sayd myllis sall nocht … tak knayfchep of na corn bot of attis 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 90.
To my Lord of Ergile. his childer and hors met Ib. 129.
To ij childer that bure organis and thair bellysis our the Month 1507 Ib. III. 320.
Carsay to be … cotis to the thre childer of the stable c1515 Asl. MS. I. 224/5.
Thai … said that thai come for na ill of him ne his childer, and thai held the clerk & his brother 1529 M. Works Acc. I. 8 b.
To the forsaid Robert Dwnnys childer for the schoing of the forsaid quhelis in drynk siluer 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 307.
To the childer at even in drinksilver 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 114.
The craftis childer had trublit and molestit diuers nychtbouris in thair passeg to Leyth 1581 Conv. Burghs II. 544.
Payit to Mr David Guthrie and the rest of the childer in the clerkes chalmer in drinksylver 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 69.
The seditioun and tumult rayset … yisternicht be certane crafts childer, speciallie of the tailyeouris 1613–4 M. Works Acc. X. 3.
To the lyme menis childer to drink(b, c) 1513 Doug. v. vi. 108.
Ȝour enterprys, childeryng [L. pueri], … Remanys sovir to ȝou 1562-3 Winȝet I. 101/8.
Quhy admit ȝe to be ȝour precheouris … ȝoung childring of na eruditioun 1571 Peebles B. Rec. 328.
He … causit the childrene quha wes reddaris thairof [sc. sheep] fra the thevis to … keip thame togidder 1622-6 Bisset II. 323/9.
This Clement … ordaned bischopin of childring … ony time eftir thair pupularie or maioritie

b. pl. The common sailors or hands on a vessel. 1445 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 13.
Twa of the ballieis … hes resauit in to saafgarde … Roger Yhong, Inglisman, and his childer 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 267.
I am appunctit with the master of the saidis schip and childer, that … I sall have … , for the bottisman and his met thre pond stirling 1557 Admir. Ct. Bk. MS. 8.
The fiche lynnis to pertene to the childer as pillage c1575 Balfour Pract. 615.
Quhen ane master is readie with his ship to depart … , and thair is sum of his childer auchtand silver in the town or countrey quhair thay ar [etc.] 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 333.
That Scottis skipparis and thair childir sall obey to the Conservatour 1588 Wedderburn Compt. Bk. 222.
The childer has of portaig thrie last and ane half; the rest appertanis to the awneris, mercheandis and maryneris

c. pl. Fellows, persons, people. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 11.
Lat thea childer want the heidis, which sall make yow quite of thair cummer 1596 Dalr. I. 246/6.
This king … to rest hes … put thae childre of the Iles & Lennox Ib. II. 373/5.
Al maist was na … place meit quhair sik childre mycht meit, quhair commounlie thai mett not

3. A girl or young woman. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 569.
This barne we bring to thé, … For dene Theodorus … Our childe [= a ȝung maydine, 527] difforsit & it gat

4. A child (esp. pl. children) as offspring, or in relation to the parent(s).Originally, and frequently, implying sense 1, but also used irrespective of age.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 732.
Law warnis … That ony chyld … Suld defowle the modir that hym fed 1490 Irland Mir. I. 59/12.
He maid the man as his proper child, barne, and heretar 1513 Doug. i. v. 50.
The fader of goddis and men … kyssit his child [L. natae] 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 63.
Quhen hir father … Till his deir chyld mycht mak no supporting 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1578.
Howbeit he be my onlie gottin chylde a1585 Maitl. Q. lxi. 51.
As for his Quene and onlye chyild(b) 1375 Barb. xv. 536.
Quhen wiffis vald thar childir ban a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 224.
That I mycht se myn childir twa ?1438 Alex. ii. 179.
Quhan Gaudefere was dede, He left tua childer in his stede 14.. Acts I. 359/1.
Quhether that ony burges … may gif til ane of his childer mar than till ane other c1515 Asl. MS. I. 205/18.
Becaus … Richert had na childer, his ȝoungast brother Ihon was maid king Ib. 260/21.
Donald wan his brother … and put away his childer 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 20.
Hecuba thydder, with hir childer [L. natae], for beild Ran al in vane 1533 Boece ii. v. 67.
Lat ws … defend our livis, … spoussis and childer 1535 Stewart 18657.
He … Ane sone that tyme and no mo childer hed 1549 Compl. 9/4.
He statut ane ordinance til excerse his propir childir … to vse them til indure excesse of laubirs(b) 1513 Doug. iii. iii. 21.
To the starnys eik we sal exalt The childryn for to cum of thine ofspryng 1531 Bell. Boece II. 49.
He past, with the residew of Britonis, with thair wiffis and childrin, in Walis 1558-66 Knox II. 15.
Whiche the poore woman had to susteine … the lyves of hir poore chylderein 1568 Peebles B. Rec. 73.
My fadir has mony childrene ma nor I 1572 Sat. P. xxxiv. 88.
Ȝour childeris childrein may it ban a1578 Pitsc. I. 237/12.
Quhairin was sex scoir of Murrayis witht thair wyffis and childerin 1584 Douglas Corr. 182.
Your assured freindis to be vsed as your childrene 16.. Hist. Kennedy 3.
Wantene childreyne of his awin, [he] maid his foster-sone his air 1613 Rep. Southesk MSS. 14.
That the mairiage of oure childrine might … be compleit vpon Tysday 1632 Annandale Corr. 286.
Till show myselffe so dewtyfull to your lordship and all your childareine 1635 Sutherland Corr. 160.
I hawe sent him to Leidene … to be acquantit with the qveenes schildreine 1638 Dumfries Test. I. 9 b.
Iohne and Marione Hairis my childerene 166. Carstaires Lett. 175.
I hope they who love God … will mynd my wyfe and childrine 1667 Edinb. Test. MS. LXXIII. 68.
Quhilk Iohn & Androw Howats ar sister childreene to the said vmquhill Androw Carmichaell(c) 1513 Doug. ii. x. 36.
Hir frendis agane and childring sal scho se Ib. iv. Prol. 56.
Thy fury … moderis taucht … Fyle handis in blud of thar ȝong chyldering c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4020.
Thare husbandis nor thare chyldring Mycht geue to thame na conforting 1567 G. Ball. 131.
Thy childeris childring thou sall se 1572 Sat. P. xxxiv. 76.
The gold ȝe gat … Will neuer by ȝour childring meit a1570-86 R. Hudson Maitl. F. clxxxii. 7.
His childaris childring florisch day buy day 1625 Garden Kings 66.
This calme king (cross'd with his childrings chance … ) c 1630 Fam. Innes 219.
Yow to whom all your childring ar bond for so … cairfull ane father 1659 Ann. Banff I. 141.
Everie mane to be comptable for his childring and servantis 1668 Edinb. Test. LXXIII. 237.
I nominat … my lawchfull schildring to be my only executours 1683 Lett. to Earl Aberd. 107.
Their wyfes and schildring were broght to sterving

b. In transferred or figurative uses. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1114.
My childere dere, This demand … Is a demawnd without profit 1490 Irland Mir. I. 26/11.
God … luffis our all his awne proper childer and infantis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 245/12.
About the tyme that the childer of Israell war in the desert c1520-c1535 Nisbet II. 44 marg.
He suld gadder to gyddir the childyr of God quhilkis was skatterit abrade 1562-3 Winȝet I. 119/27.
Quhow sall ȝe nocht iustlie be reputit … the childering of arrogance

5. In phr. with child, and related contexts. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 406.
Quhen Elizabeth Mary mylde Hailiste, that wes with chylde a1500 Henr. III. 146/23.
That gay … Wox in hir chaumer chaist with child 1492 Myll Spect. 285/1.
With quhom he conversit sa that scho wox with child c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 293.
Suppos the churll wes gane chaist, or the child wes gottin 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 97.
Childir to engendir oys Venus, and not in vane 1530 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 477.
Becaus sche was seiklie and greit with chyle 1571 Elgin Rec. I. 127.
Thow castis bot kitlyngis and nocht childeryng 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 31.
That … scho sould beir na ma childrene a1578 Pitsc. I. 394/23.
Scho within schort tyme … become witht child Ib. II. 126/20.
Airis of his bodie gottin vpone our quein as maill childering 1649 Wemyss Chart. 231.
My shoud [= sewed] beid I boir my shildrein in 1672 Edinb. Test. LXXIV. 209.
I nominat my said spouse tutrix to … Margaret with the schyld in hir bellie