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.

Roundal(l, Rondal(l, Rundaile, Rindaill, n. Also: rownd- and -el(l, -ail(l, -ale, -le, rownall, riynedll. [ME and e.m.E. roundel, rondel (both a1290), rundel (c1305), roundell (Chaucer), rowndel (Prompt. Parv.), etc., OF rondele, rondelle, rondel (late 12th c., 1297 and 13th c. in Larousse), med. L. rundellus (1300), rondella (a1450) (both in Latham), MDu. rondeel, MLG rondel, rundel.]

I. 1. a. A circle marked out in some way. b. ? A circular course; a thing apparently circular in shape, as the iris of the eye.a. c1420 Wynt. i 533.
As men may be a roundale se Markyd to be delt in thre Ib. 1096 (W).
Roundaillb. 1456 Hay II 113/33.
Astronomy … is dividit in to thre parties … And this is first the science of cercleis and roundellis, the tothir of planetis, sternis and signes Id. Alex. MS 10371.
Broun blak or gray the roundale of his eye

2. A small round table. Also roundell burde, in the same sense.(1) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 23.
Befor thaim was sone set ane roundall brycht And with ane clenly claith … It was our coverit Ib. 579.
Rowndell 1503 Lanark B. Rec. 13.
For mendyn of the rowndall 1521–2 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 75 (5 Feb.).
A rowndall to x s. 1529 Reg. Great S. 178/1.
A roundell 30 d. 1535 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XVI (Jam. (1879) s.v. Comptar).
Ane compter rowndell 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II 136.
Ane buyrd and form, stule and rowndale 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV 124.
Ane roundell(b) 1572 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 166.
Ane rownall(c) 1565–6 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 97.
1 rundaile of sapros(2) 1565 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 68.
Ane greit roundell burde 1571–2 Canongate Ct. Bk. 354.
Ane roundell buird 1607 Edinb. Test. XLII 326b.
Ane rowndall buird of aik pryce xl s. 1631 Ib. LV 80b.
Ane roundell buird pryce four pundis(b) 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI 39.
Ane rundell buird

b. A round platter or mat to place a dish on at table; a ‘gardenap’ (q.v.). 1583 Elgin Rec. I 172.
Ane gardein alias ane rowndell of bress

3. A circular disc fitted on to the shaft of a spear to protect the hand of a jouster. b. A small round shield. 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 13.
Gevin for four roundellis to speris, vj cronis 1539 Ib. 49.
For four roundellis to rin the spere for the kingis grace 1542 Ib. VIII 92.
For dichting of the kingis grace justing harnes … , roundellis for speris [etc.]b. 1549 Compl. 42/4.
Ȝe soldartis & conpangȝons of veyr, mak reddy ȝour … lancis, pikkis, halbardis, rondellis, tua handit sourdis and tairgis 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 647/2.
Item ane cheir couerit with blak velwat and ane rundell of steyll. Item aucht cussingis … Item thre barrellis of pulder … Item of speiris xxxiij

4. A cask. Also attrib. with nalis, tries and burd which may, however, be an example of 2 (2) above. 1436 Exch. R. IV 680.]
[In duobus pipis et una rundella plenis harnesiis armorum(a) 1501–2 Halyb. xxi.
Sall ȝe resaue furth of the sammyne schipe … a roundale in the first ij steikis of rissillis claith [etc.] Ib.
Sovme of all the gudis in this roundale(b) 1670 Edinb. B. Rec. X 77.
Selling of rundells and small quantities of seck, which being easilie portable are insensiblie stollen by at the ports(c) 1431 Exch. R. IV 537.]
[Pro le oncostis unius rondelle foderature domini … regis 1497 Halyb. 117.
In the samyn rondal 4 grotkyn off gold follȝe [etc.] 1498 Ib. 172.
Rondall 1499 Ib. 251.(d) 1640 Pittenween Ann. 43.
Ane rindaill of aquavitæ of 4 gallons 1659 Elgin Rec. I 310.
Tuo rindells of seck 1681 Biggar 62.
Ane say, a handy, and a seck rindleattrib. 1501–2 Halyb. xxi.
For the roundale nalis and packing(b) 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 102.
The aile sellar. … ane hoist creile, ane hogheid, ane rundale burd(c) c1643 Rothes P.
Ten riynedll tries to my lordis hous

II. 5. A rondeau. b. A short poem possessing some of the characteristic features of the rondeau properly so-called. c. A verse epigram.(a) 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 67.
The ralȝear … ratlis furth ranys, … baith roundalis and ryme a1585 Polwart Flyt. 23 (T).
Thy raggit roundaillis, reifand royt, Sum schort, sum lang and [out] of lyne 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 5a.
Thir rowndales schoirte … Is for my spoirte c1590 J. Stewart 200 §2.
I pas from ballads … From sonets als … ; Both myrrie ryms and roundels I desdaine 1677 Lauder Notices Affairs I 141.
On the Chancelor's interlocutor their was a roundell made(b) c1590 Fowler I 318/24.
Then must my trauail'd muse but pipe like Pan, and Hobbinol her rondleis with her peers