Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MAIL, n.4 Also †mylie. [mel]
1. Weaving: a metal eye through which the warp thread passes in a loom. In gen. use in weaving areas in Scot. and Eng.Sc. 1808 J. Duncan Weaving II. 158:
The eyes of the harness leaves are made of tin or copper, and are called mails, by weavers.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 152:
Temper yer ilka thrum and thread, Yea, whither they wimple thro' a head, Or thro' a mail.Rnf. 1904 M. Blair Paisley Shawl 36:
At the lower end of each of these harness twines was a metal eye, called a “mail” through which the warp thread passed, with a weight below in the form of a thin piece of lead, to bring it down and keep it straight.
2. Pl. “the small links on a fishing-rod through which the line runs” (Sc. 1825 Jam., mylies).
[O.Sc. mailyhie, an eyelet, c.1470, Fr. maille, loop, mesh. Cf. Eng. mail, chain armour.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Mail n.4". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mail_n4>
