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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1420, 1513-1549
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Fireslacht, Fy(i)rslaucht, n. Also: fyres(c)lacht, -slauch. [ME. fire slaght (a 1300), f. ME. slaȝt, slaht, OE. sleaht stroke (cf. léᵹet-slæht, -sleht, lightning).] = Fireflaucht.Fyrschacht, -schauchte, in Leg. S. iii. 223, vi. 371, are presumably miswritings for -sclacht, -sclauchte. a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 773.
Thar come a licht fra the hewyne, As it a fyre-sclacht had bene a1400 Ib. xiii. 179.
Thonyre flaw doun & fyr-slacht c1420 Wynt. iv. 2338.
Off fyrslaucht fell brynt all away The fyrst lettyr off his state 1513 Doug. iv. v. 67.
Gif the fyreslauch … To fley our myndis invane makis noys and din 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 60/4.
Oft tymes ve vil see fyir slaucht, quhou be it ther be na thondir harde
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"Fireslacht n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fireslacht>
