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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pale, Pail(l, a. Also: palle, paile. [ME. (Cursor M.) pale, pal, paal(e, OF. pale, palle (mod. F. pâle).] Pale, in usual applications.

1. Of persons or their complexions. Also transf.(a) ?1438 Alex. i. 1647.
Pale Ib. ii. 9252. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 159/33.
In his graf … pale and wane 1535 Stewart 666. 1596 Dalr. II. 283/23.(b) c1590 J. Stewart 88/324.
Vith goustlie visage palle [: hall, vall (= wall), small] Ib. 215/lxi.
Palle Lucina, blanchit nychtis queine(c) ?1438 Alex. ii. 10375.
Euill hewit and paill [: vassaill] a1500 Henr. Fab. 490 (Ch.).
Paill of hew c1475 Wall. x. 565.
His paill face Ib. xi. 633.
With paill face c1500 Makc. MS. iv. 46.
Nakit and pail 1513 Doug. i. vi. 84.
With pail vissage Ib. iv. v. 126.
The pail sawiis he cachis furth of hell Ib. iii. iv. 18; vi. viii. 9; x. xiii. 149; etc. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 475.
With … cullour paill as leid 1531 Bell. Boece I. 238.
And for thair paill goistis 1533 Boece vi. i. 186.
Throw fere he grewe paill and wan 1535 Stewart 49511.
So paill of hew … That [etc.] 15.. Clar. i. 92.
Alse paill as ony wall Ib. iii. 1528. a1568 Bann. MS. 234 a/19.
My rosy lippis ar woxin paill and blay 1569 Sat. P. x. 15.
Paill of the face a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 252 (L). 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Palleo, liveo, to be wan, or pailetransf. 1513 Doug. x. xiii. 17.
The pail furour of Tysiphone Walkis wod wroth amydwart the melle

2. Of a colour or in reference to colour. ?1438 Alex. ii. Prol. 7.
Flouris … Purpit bloncat, pale and pers a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 214 (Ch.).
The secund steid … Quhitlie and paill 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 106.
Sum [buds of flowers] pers sum paill [etc.] 15.. Clar. i. 1480.
Hir bricht cullour sonne waxit wan and paill c1590 Fowler I. 215/1.
Heues rid and paile which litts Bell[isaes face]

3. Of a luminary: Lacking in brightness, dim.Also in astrological use, blending with sense 1. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. i (E).
Paill Aurora with face lamentabill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 27.
The sone that vox all paill now schynis bricht Id. xxxiii. 1 (B), xlviii. 11. 1513 Doug. iii. Prol. i.
Hornyt lady, pail Cynthia, not brycht 1549 Compl. 38/13.
Als fayr Dyana … be cam dym ande pail

4. Of a time, season or region: Marked by a lack of brightness or light; dim, wan. 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 13.
The tyme and sesson bittir cald and paill Tha schort days that clerkis clepe brumaill Ib. viii. iv. 136.
And onclosys that dyrk regioun paill [: infernall]