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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Egill, n. Also: egyle, egil, egle, eagill. [ME. egylle, egle (Wyclif), OF. egle, aigle.]

1. An eagle. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1035.
How Jupitere … Gert the egyle … Rawys the barne Ganemede 1456 Hay I. 25/27.
Sanct Jhon in the Apocalips sawe ane egill fleand throu the ayre c1450-2 Howlat 313.
Thar was the egill so grym, gretest on ground is c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 99.
The egill strong at him did stryke Ib. xlviii. 120.
Syne crownit scho the egle king of fowlis 1513 Doug. ix. iv. 81.
The egill … Within hys bowand clukis had up clawcht A ȝong cygnet 1535 Stewart 10239.
Ane fleand egill in the air wes sene 15.. Clar. v. 2602.
Ower the fluid freschlie did he fair, Alse swift as dois the eagill in the air 1596 Dalr. I. 39/7.
Thair nests heir bigis lykwyse, the falcoun, the sparhalk, and … evin as mony egles 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 73.
The egill schamms against a flie to freattfig. 1533 Boece vii. iii. 226.
Augustine … reput egill and souerane of all doctourisattrib. 1596 Dalr. II. 125/30.
The wyte he lays on the wings, that tha war nocht vttirlie egle fethiris

2. The figure of an eagle. ?1438 Alex. i. 2969.
The scheild … Quhairin he saw an egill stand Ib. ii. 6201. c 1450 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 205.
Ane letturon of brace for the wangell with ane egill 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 91.
Quhou that he … for hys baner, … The fleand egill displayt fair and playn 1532 Acta Conc. MS. I. 44.
Thair is gret murmur risin … tuiching the money, in speciale anentis crownis of the egle 1533 Boece iii. vi. 99.
Apon certane stanis war egillis gravin 1534-5 Ayr B. Acc. 72.
Of the quhilk [sum] he tuk ane croune of the egill for xvij s. 1561 Invent. Q. Mary 44.
Twa egles maid in broderie