Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

By-letter, n. [By adv. 1.] A letter additional to those sent by the regular post. — 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 25.
Any private posts on the persons who shall receive posts, bye-packets or bye-letters, or other clandestine communications, should be exemplarily punished