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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HEAL, v. Also hele, heel, heil(l), heyl; and erron. hield, heild (Sc. 1950 Scots Mag. (July) 264), hool (Abd. 1787 A. Shirrefs Jamie and Bess ii. ii.). To hide, conceal, keep secret (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, hele, heill; Abd. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., hel; Cai. 1956), freq. in the formulae of free-masonry; to shelter, protect; to shield, screen (a person under suspicion) (Cai. 1975). [hil, Cai. heil]Sc. 1696 Knoop & Jones Sc. Mason (1939) 82:
What is the first point? The first is to heill and conceal [in masonic usage].Sc. 1755 Scots Mag. (March) 134:
The word is one, the sign is two, the grip is three, the penalty is four, and Heal and conceal is five.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 12:
When love dwells atweesh twa lovers leal, They neither gueed nor ill frae ither heal.Mry. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 345:
Wel helit in ane hude.Abd. 1820 A. Skene Poems 68:
Some cheat thro' sloth, some fauts a-heelin', Some do 't to please.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 155:
Was never sic hillie-belew and flither Within a' Christendie thegither: Heav'n hielde us a' frae sic a drither!Cai. 1902 E.D.D.:
Dinna tell her, she canna heal a thing.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fablesfrae French 62:
This grippin' bodie healt his gowd awa' Deep i' the grun', whar 'twas nae guid ava. [Ib. 85, heild]Cai. 1936:
He's ma brither-bairn bit a'll no heyl 'im.Sc. 1952 New Statesman (14 June) 698:
What's the tender of the oath [in the Horseman's Word ceremony]? — Hele, conceal, never reveal: neither write, nor dite, nor recite.

Phr.: to heal on a body, to keep a person's secrets, respect his confidence.Sc. 1827 G. R. Kinloch Sc. Ballads 5:
O heal this deed on me, Meggy, O heal this deed on me.n.Sc. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 76:
Altho' ye tauld upo' yoursell, Ye might ha'e heal'd on me.