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.
Quotation dates: 1500-1599
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Coff(e, n. Also: koff, cofe, coife. [Cf. e.m.E. cofe, later cove, a canting word for ‘man’, ‘fellow’.] A dishonest rogue. Also attrib. — a1568 Bannatyne MS 162 a.
Ane descriptioun of peder coffeis a1568 Ib. 10.
Ane scroppit cofe a1568 Ib. 17.
Ane swyngeoir coife a1568 Ib. 33; etc.
Knaifatic coff 15.. Aberd. B. Rec. MS. (J).
[A charge of] mispersoning the merchandis in calling of thaim coffeis 15.. Aberd. B. Rec. MS. (J).
Convickit for the trublance of him in wordis, calland him koffcaryll one the oppin gait
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"Coff n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/coffe>
