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.
Quotation dates: 1450-1500, 1558-1597
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Betill, Bitill, n. Also: beitill, bittill, bitle. [ME. betel, betylle and bittill, bytylle, OE. býtel, bíetel, f. béatan Bete v.2] A beetle or mallet. c1450-2 Howlat 787.
He couth … mak … A lang spere of a betill a1500 Henr. Fab. 1821.
The carll … with ane betill [B. bittill] knokkit it and bet 1558-66 Knox I. 164.
That dolt … was as doume as a bitle in that mater 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 151.
Taking vp ane beitill, and hinging vp of this beitill be ane string 1597 Ib. 192.
Hinging wpe ane bitill
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"Betill n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/betill>
