Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Churl, n. Also: churll, churle. [ME. churl(e, chorle, cherl(e, OE. ceorl. In Sc. chiefly in verse.] A churl; a rustic, rude, or miserly fellow. Also attrib. 14.. Acts I. 23/2.
Gif a churl ututh burgh wonnande hafe ony borowagis in burgh Ib.
Gif that churl burges challangis a burges wonnande wythin burgh a1500 Henr. Fab. 1735.
Se ȝe ȝone churll [v.r. churle] … beȝond ȝone pleuch? Ib. 1738, etc. Id. Test. Cress. 261.
On hir breist ane churle paintit full euin c1475 Wall. ii. 29.
A churll thai had, that felloune byrdyngis bar a1500 Prestis of Peblis 314.
Thair manheid and thair mense this gait thay murle, For mariage thus vnyte of ane churle c1515 Asl. MS. I. 309/6.
Of Sem come fre men … , of Cam churllis and foull pepill c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 55.
Out of the chenȝeis of ane churle I chaip suld for euir Ib. 293. 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 126.
Quod I, Churle, ga chat the, and chyde with ane other c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 586.
As sall all wrachit churlis layf thair geir a1570-86 Clapperton Maitl. F. lxxix. 17.
Thus am I bundin out of blis On to ane churle sayis I am his