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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Gile, Gyle, n. Also: ghile, geile, gille, gil(l; ghyle, gyl(l, gyil(e, guyll. [ME. gyle, gile (a 1225), OF. guile.]

1. Guile, deceit. 1375 Barb. i. 172.
Through gret sutelte and ghyle … He was arestyt syne and tane Ib. vi. 4.
Schir Yngerame … That thoucht his sutelte and gyle Had all falȝeit in-to that place a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 571.
With slichtis & with gret gyle Sa has he wrocht Ib. xxx. 307.
Gyf … it be sa. & that thu spekis for na gyle c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 634.
Eneas and … Anthenore That all the gyle wyst weill befor c1420 Wynt. i. 1686.
In to that quhyle Wpe ras falshede, swyk and gyle a1500 Henr. Fab. 2209.
As the foxe with dissimulance and gyle Gart the wolf wene [etc.] c1475 Wall. vi. 630.
Than rais thai wp, for Wallace dredyt gyll 1531 Bell. Boece II. 234.
The treason done to thaim be gile of Inglismen 1567 G. Ball. 208.
Say weill is slipper and makis mony wylis, Do weill is semelie, without ony gylis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. ci. ii.
Rycht few frome gyle can thame debait

2. Freq. in combination with fraud, etc. See Fraud n. 2.