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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.

Rele, Reil(l, v.¹ Also: reile, reyll, reel. [ME and e.m.E. rele(n (14th c.), reyll (north., c1460), reele (16th c.), ? f. Rele n. Cf. Relev.²]Chiefly Sc. and northern in early use.

1. intr. Of a person, also of a horse: To move violently, uncontrollably or irregularly; to prance about; to rush about; to behave in a violent or disorderly manner, to run riot. Also fig.(1) 1375 Barb. xii 515.
Sum of the hors that stekyt wer Ruschyt and relyt rycht rudlye Ib. xiv 69.
For hobynys that war stekyt thar Relyt [C. Rerit] and flang and gret rowme mad c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 156/195 (Asl.).
The sowtaris hors scarrit with the rattill And round about did reile(2) 1375 Barb. viii 328.
The king … saw thaim reland to & fra 1513 Doug. iv vi 42.
As quhen thir nunnys of Bachus Ruschis and relis our bankis, brays, and bus(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1391.
In hy all fleing reillit thay … To saue thair lyues quhil thay mocht Ib. ii 5728. 1513 Doug. ix ix 36.
Tho with thar swechtis, as thai reill and leipe, The byrnand towr down rollys 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 154.
Than, lyke ane lyone lowsit of his caige, Out throuch this realme I gan to reil and rage c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 602.
And ȝe abone to ryid begouth to reill, With bute, and spur [etc.] a1568 Scott ii 175.
Sum ruscht, sum rumyld, [and] sum reild 1570 Sat. P. xviii 39.
Lat neuer thai ruffians within ȝour rowmis reill 1558-66 Knox I 212.
Whill that everie man laubouris to draw from the north, whense the danger appeired, thei begyne to reyll 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 28b.
The cwnt ȝowkis garris thame [sc. women] to ryne & reill c1590 J. Stewart 226 §106.
Ire and inwy reild vith crewall eine … And blasphemie did schout(c) 1654 Johnston Diary II 306.
I found the enseigne reel as a mad body at my chalmer doore, and I miskend him a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 278.
And seeth them as so many evil spirits dancing and reeling within him a1660 Sanny Briggs in Sempill P. 45/8.
O how he gart the jutters … both reel and rumble

b. To rush forward; to charge. a1500 K. Hart 227.
So Bewtie with hir wangarde gane to reill, The greitest of thair ost scho can our-ryde

c. Applied to the action of dancing, to emphasise the freedom of movement (or perh. the circling movements) of the dancers; to dance a reel. See also Rele n. 5. 1513 Doug. xiii ix 109.
And gan do dowbill brangillys and gambatis, Dansys and rowndis traysyng mony gatis, Athir throu other reland, on thar gys 1584 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 87.
That na persounis pas tyme, nor dans or reill with dansing and pypping throw the toun … the tyme of preiching

d. To rattill and (to) rele, to behave wildly. See Rattil(l v. 3.

2. Of things: To move in an unsteady or irregular manner; to behave uncontrollably, be out of control. 1570 Sat. P. xvii 34.
Reuolue into ȝour minds, Quhat sin, quhat shame in hir last dayis did reil c1590 J. Stewart 43/26.
The nocturne beams … ay reilling throch the glansing sky a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 277.
How often is your mind stirring and reeling like the raging sea?

b. specif. Of the eyes: To move in an irregular or uncontrolled manner; ? to roll, ? to widen, ? to squint. 1513 Doug. iii Prol. 35.
Few knawis all thir costis sa far hens; To pike thame vp perchance ȝour eyn suld reill Ib. viii Prol. 177.
Throw roytnes and ravyng, that maid myne eyn reill 1533 Boece 214b.
Turnyng fra the son, that thare ene be fulgure and bemys thareof suld nocht reill nor glymmare a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1617.
Ye saw never grein cheiss but your eyn reild 1658 R. Moray Lett. fol. 219.
I be sitting at the cheek of a furnace that will gar your eyn reel when you see it

3. tr. To cause to move (bak) or retreat in disorder. 1513 Doug. ii vii 130.
With the pres we war relit of that sted Ib. x vi 149.
Mesapus … presys … To reill [Ruthv., 1553 roll] abak and to expell in fyght Thar aduersaris, and mak thame tak the flycht