A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1596
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Horribill, Horrible, a. Also: horribille, -bile, -byle, horibill, horrybill, -byll; horrabill, -byll, horrable, -ebble. [ME. horrible (c 1386), earlier orrible, orryble (1303), OF. orr-, horrible, L. horribilis.] Causing or inspiring horror; dreadful or frightful to see, hear, feel, or experience.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 455.
Scho wald horrible erding ger be 1456 Hay I. 57/32.
The noys rais … sa hydously that it was horrible to here a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1144.
The horrible panes & tormentis of hell 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 513 (R).
The horrible sterne dedis of Marte 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 183.
All mon passe be that horrible port 1596 Dalr. I. 86/2.
The mair horrible places of the realme(b) 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 32.
With horribill dyn and beir … the harpeis on vs fell 1513 Ib. xiii. ii. 74.
Be all ways noysum … And all that horribill was 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 233.
That day sall horribill be and eik terribill a1578 Pitsc. I. 66/27.
This tyme thair fell ane horribill cace to Johnne Camproun, bischope of Glasgow(c) c1450 Craft of Deyng 2.
Sen … dede semys … rycht horreble to mony men c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1416.
The thounder raif the cluddis … with horrabyll sound c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 69 (B).
Quhair ȝoulis ar hard with horreble stevin 1596 Dalr. I. 277/8.
The Peychtis, authoris of this horrable slauchtir(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 774.
Than … askit he Quhar-for his birth wes … Sa foule, and sa horribyle 1513 Doug. iii. x. 6.
A monstre horribyll, Wanting hys syght 1513 Ib. x. 44.
Ane horribil sort [viz. the Cyclopes], with mony camscho beik 1535 Stewart 673.
That horribill edder with vipros invie 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 9790.
That man to me ȝe bring. How horribill or vgsum that he be(b) 1456 Hay I. 21/4.
Efter that tromp come to Sanct Johne ane othir visioun right mervailous and horrible c1515 Asloan MS I. 311/12.
[Nimrod] biggit this hie, horrible, & strang towre c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 26.
Ewill horrible monsteris 1513 Doug. i. v. 120 (Sm.).
The horrible tirrant with bludy mouth sall bray c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 26 (B).
He sall ascend as ane horreble grephoun 1596 Dalr. II. 4/27.
This horrable and woundirfull armie(3) 1456 Hay I. 101/35.
The horrible syn aganis nature 1562-3 Winȝet II. 28/2.
The horrible cryme of a changeit fayth 1591 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 367.
The horrable and schamfull offence committit be Johne Alexander
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Horribill adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/horribill>
