A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1501-1623
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Quiksilver, n. Also: quick-, quikke-, quyk-, quyck-, quhyk- and -silvir. [ME and e.m.E. quyksiluer (Chaucer), quicksilver (1436), OE cwic seolfor, after L. argentum vivum: cf. also Du. kwikzilver, ON kviksilfr, etc.] Quicksilver, mercury. Also attrib. with -warkis. 1501 Treasurer's Accounts II 62.
For i pund of quiksilvir to the samyn goldsmyth xvj d. 1502–3 Ib. 359.
For v pund quyksilver for the furnes of quinta essencia 1503 Ib. 403, etc. 1537–8 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 233.
Quik silver 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII 316.
For giltin of the samin harnesingis quhyk silver and warkmanschip thairof 1540 Ib. 357. 1569 Ib. XII 155. 1570 Edinburgh Testaments II 116b.
Ane pund of quyck silver price ten s. 1573 Treasurer's Accounts XII 372. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 117/32.
Quikkesiluer uith the golde 1592 Edinburgh Testaments XXV 25b.
Quik siluer 1597 Criminal Trials II 28.
To haill the young Laird of Bargany … with cure of saw, maid of quick-siluer 1602 Crawford Mining P. 12 Oct.
The myndis of gold silver quick silver … and of all vther minerallisattrib. 1614 Mining Rec. 164.
The saidis mynes fyre warkis stamping warkis and qvick siluer warkis
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"Quiksilver n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/quiksilver>
