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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.

Assaile, Assayle, v. Also: assaill(e, asseill; assayhle, assaylle; assale. [Early ME. asaile, asayle, later as-, assaille, -aylle, etc., OF. asaillir, assaillir. Cf. Assailȝe v.]

1. tr. To assail, attack.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 222 (to defend giff it war assaylit); 258 (thaim till assaile); etc. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 369 (quhat assaileis thé?). c1420 Wynt. i. 665 (tyll assayhle the gryphys in fycht); ii. 1369 (thame assayle wytht hard bataylle); etc. 1456 Hay I. 83/1 (to assaile his inymy in bataill); 143/11 (gif a man of kirk be assailit); etc. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiii. 13 (quhen sadnes thé assailis); xxxiii. 3 (a sweuyng did me assaile). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 251 (aither vther did assaill). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 75 (quhome dolour dois assaill).(b) 1375 Barb. xviii. 194 (thai war assalit with Erischry). a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 916 (ȝarninge cuth me assale). 1513 Doug. vii. vi. 31 (hir banys to assale). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1717 (thocht fyre or walter it assalit).

b. intr. To make an assault.1375 Barb. xvii. 358 (ilk man vent till assale); etc. c1420 Wynt. iv. 449 (to dyffend or tyll assayle); etc. 1456 Hay I. 83/12 (it is better to assaile na to defend); 119/8 (to assaile or byde).

c. tr. To prosecute by attack.1456 Hay I. 73/2 (to defend or assaile rychtwis querele in armes).

2. tr. To attempt, try, make trial of.?1438 Alex. i. 15 (gart his men assaill to tak the toun). a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 35 (baith I haue assailit). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 89 (he thair his manheid did assaill); c1552 Id. Mon. 902 (He ... Full subtellye did hir assaill). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 76/14 (thy greit slicht I haue assaillit). a1578 Pitsc. I. 119/14 (that he wald asseill the Erle of Douglas mynd).

Hence Assailing, vbl. n., Assaillour. —c1420 Wynt. viii. 3693 (wyth stout and manlyk assaylyng). 1456 Hay I. 270/20 (na defens, bot erar assailing). Ib. 270/17 (he is the assaillour).