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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Ȝereling,) Ȝerling, Ȝeirling, n. (adj.). Also: ȝe(i)rlen, yeir-, yeerling, ȝirling. [Late ME and e.m.E. yerlynge (1465), yerelynge (1528), yereling (1531), yeerelinge (1577), yearling (1605); Ȝer(e n.]

A. noun. A yearling, an animal of one year old. Cf. Ȝerald n. 1582 Brechin Test. I 71.
Item iij ȝeirlings price of the peice xiij s. iiij d 1583 Edinb. Test. XII 109.
viij ȝeild cattell of tua ȝeir auldis price of the pece … iiij merkis … thrie ȝeirlingis price of the pece ij merkis 1592 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 41b.
Fyif ȝowis … and thre ȝeirlingis 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore 92d.
Ane brown blak meir ȝeld lair chorc athir and ane ȝeirlen [MS ȝeir len] ane blak mer and a blak ȝerlen [MS ȝer len] brut 1609 Argyll Rentals MS.
Item ane yeerling … xij marks

B. adj. One-year-old. 1574 Edinb. Test. III 172b.
Threttene ȝeirling stirkis price of the pece xl s 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 14.
Foure auld meris tua hors twa ȝeirling filleis 1597 Crail B. Ct. 3 Sept.
Twa yeirling calffis 1598 Dunblane Test. III 2.
Ane ȝeirling stirk and ane kow of tua ȝeir auld 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore 92d (see A above). 1601 Brechin Test. I 213.
Ane ȝirling quoy 1628 Soc. Ant. XXIII 267.
Four yeirling stottis and quoyes 1632 Brechin Test. V 78b.
Tua ȝerling koyis