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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.

Equale, Equal(l, a. and n. Also: equaill, æqual(l, equhall, -ell, eikwall. [e.m.E. equale, ME. equal (Chaucer), L. æquālis.]

1. Of the same size, amount, degree, etc.(1) 1490 Irland I. 80/27.
The sammyn substaunce with the fadere and of equale powere 1513 Doug. xii. iv. 154.
Campionys … not of strenth equaill 1562-3 Winȝet I. 107/28.
Als weill to superiour poueris … as to æquall and inferiouris(2) 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 162.
To dele … equale porcions and diuisione of … land 1513 Doug. v. viii. 3.
Equale armour but dyversyte 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xi.
In weddir louin and maist tempestius haill, But ony dreid, I beir ane equall saill 1596 Dalr. I. 4/27.
[Britain] in ilke place is nocht alyke æquall 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 65.
The arbiters in equall number

b. Const. to or with (another person or thing). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 943.
Desyring for to be equall To God 1562-3 Winȝet I. 124/18.
That the sanctis … sal be alyke and æqual to the angelis Ib. II. 40/16.
Coæternal and æqual with the father 1596 Dalr. I. 77/16.
[They were] amaist ay æqual with thair adversaris

2. Observing equality; just or fair. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lvi. 4.
Equale distributioun Makis thame content that hes ressoun 1513 Doug. vii. iv. 27.
Be our inclinatioun and fre will Just and equale 1535 Stewart 39792.
That sentence … Quhilk in the self so equall is and plane 1558 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi. 58.
Do equale iustice bayth to mair and les 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 280.
Beir equall ballanis baith to riche and puir 1596 Dalr. I. 158/6.
He is commandet … to craue peice vpon æqual conditiounis

b. Of persons: Just, impartial. 1535 Stewart 39825.
So just ane juge, so equale and so trew 1535 Rec. Earld. Orkney 219.
To tak nay maystermen in thar defence or suple bot equhell men c1550 Rolland C. Venus III. 923.
Thay chesit hir … Chancellar on syse, that scho suld stand equaill On baith sydis a1568 Scott ii. 47.
Eikwall juges satt abowt To se quha tynt or wan The feild

3. In line, or on a level, with something. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1550.
All thir gret ilis … War than equall with the ferme land 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 70.
To cast doun and dimolishe the southe pairt … , making the blokhous and courtene equall with the ground a1578 Pitsc. I. 96/5.
Never to pas thair fre into the tyme it war maid equall witht the ground

4. n. One equal to another. 1596 Dalr. I. 231/4.
Sum Peychtis … cruellie slewe sum of thair awne æqualis