Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Revel(l, -all, Reuall, n.¹ Also: rewel; rivell, -well, -vall. [Late ME and e.m.E. rewel(l (c1430); rowelle (?a1400), roile (c1400), rowle (1512) a star-shaped disk forming the end of a spur (mod. Eng. rowel), OF roele, roel (1119 and 1316 in Greimas), OF and MF roiele, rouelle (1256 and c1398 in Larousse) a roundel of iron or steel on a suit of armour, OF (ouvrage) en roel wheel-shaped (1316 in Wartburg), med. L. rotella, dimin. of L. rota a wheel.] a. ? A circle, a wheel-shaped design or ornament. b. ? Some part of the fitments of a sword, prob. circular in shape, ? a roundel or circular ornament. c. The rowel of a spur.a. c1420 Wynt. iv 220.
Apon a cowrsoure … he sat … In tyll a gowne ewyn schaply wyde In his revel [C. rewel] bot sadyll syde a1500 Rauf C. 670.
The rufe reulit about in reuall of reid c1475 Wall. ix 106.
His cot armour is seyn in mony steid, Ay battaill boun, and riwell [1570 in rayment; S.T.S. conjectures in riwell] ay off reidb. 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 87.
Nyne quhynȝearis …, twa of thame with schethis of welvot, all furnist chaip and riuell [pr. ruvell] witht silver werk 1699 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 101.
Ane sword staff with silver rivalls worth tuelve pundsc. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 234.
Ane cannone bullet dingis the revell, the spurre [etc.] … of one of the horsmenis legis 1695 Foulis Acc. Bk. 177.
For a pair new revells to my spurs