Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1723-1790, 1891-1911
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SYLLAB, n., v. Also sil(l)ab, sylib; syllup (Ags. 1889 Barrie W. in Thrums xix., Abd. 1931); and by confusion with the name of the dish of flavoured curds, syllabab. [′sɪləb, -əp]
I. n. A syllable. Obs. exc. dial in Eng.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 318:
Shool sic verses aff ding dang, And no ae syllab' o' them wrang?Ags. 1891 Barrie Little Minister xxv.:
He hasna heard a sylib.Kcb. 1911 Crockett Rose of the Wilderness xxiii.:
'Stoor' — no a syllabab mair.
II. v. To divide words into syllables, esp. in teaching a child to read (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Gsw. 1723 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 173:
A Dialogue betuixt a Young Lady and her Schooll Master, showing the right way of sillabing.Sc. 1736 Curiosities Sc. Charta Chest (Forbes 1897) 89:
Roby is doing very well at his Silabing.Sc. 1742 Hjaltland Misc. (1937) II. 6:
12 Vincent's Catechisms, 3 Musick books, 20 syllabing Catechisms.
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"Syllab n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/syllab>
