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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Stepil(l, Steipil(l, Stipil(l, n. Also: stepyl, -ell, -le, -all, -ul, steipell, -le, -all, -eill, -iel, steippil, steepell, -le, steapell, -le, stapill, stipell, -le, stippill, stible, (stilpill). [ME and e.m.E. stepel (c1175), stepul (1426), stepylle (Prompt. Parv.), steple (c1440), stepill (1483), stiple (1548), stypell (1553), steeple (1561), OE stépel, stýpel.]

1. A steeple, a tall tower, usu. or ? always attached to or part of a church or other public building, esp. the tolbooth of a burgh. Contextually distinguished in various ways.(a) 1387 Edinb. Chart. 35.
On the south syde of the paryce kyrc … fra the west gavyl … est on to the grete pyler of the stepyl c1420 Wynt. ix 575.
The stepill [C. stepil] off stane 1429 Ayr B. Ct. 122a.
For burdis to the stepill 1456 Hay II 101/3.
Drownis schippis, schakis cornis, brekis stepillis and kirkis 1490 Acta Conc. I 167/1.
Bigging of a steple 1532 Reg. Cupar A. I 313.
[To] Robert Murray, plumbar, … for reparing watter theicht our Abbay Kyrk queir and stepill 1571 Sempill in Sat. P. xxviii 99.
To magnifie my name I maid ane stepill 1573 Peebles B. Rec. I 354.
To bring and restore the palyeone hame agane to the stepill 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 1.
The abbacie of Kilwynning with the kirk, stepill, and haill monasterie 1582 Reg. Privy C. III 520.
Thair burgh, the kirk, tolbuith, stepill, almous hous and uther commoun houssis thairof divers tymes brint and cassin downe be England 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V 223.
To gif to Robert Stewart, maister of activity, quha come doun the tow fra the stepill, ten merk 1604 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 798.
For mending the coik and globe of the stepell(b) 1535 Stewart 54819.
Biggit als ane greit steipill and queir 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II 97.
v^xx xv stane of clayth leid to the platforming of the steipill 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Pyramis, a steiple or lyk building 1596 Dalr. I 139/25.
Steipilis, toures, castel ȝettis, gret pilleris of houses, sulde be decored with images in rememberance of thame 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 316.
For xvi laidis of lyme to repair the steiple ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 86.
Ane monasterie with ane steipill … callit Roadill 1620 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i 6.
Steippil 1637 Glasgow B. Rec. 383.
Ane lytill chappell … with ane pirameitt or steiple thairon 1644 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 734.
For paying of debtis vndertaine be the toune in building of ther steipill 1646 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 774.
To bring home ane ship maid of bras for putting vpone the top of the steipill 1647 Glasgow B. Rec. II 115.
In that pairt of the Hie Kirk yaird dyke foireanent the laiche steipill(c) 1639 Peebles B. Rec. I 420.
Yron to bowle the twa yron peeces in the steepell 1644 Dundee Chart. 173.
Two roundis to be built upon the steeple(d) 1656 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 497.
To all the massounes … to drink quhen they were putting up the steapell 2 l. 18 s. 1656 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 500.
For altering the booll of the steapell 1665 Conv. Burghs III 582.
The loses of the brught of Forterose by demolishing of thair tolbooth schoole house and steaple … the tyme of thair late rebellion(e) 1457 Ayr B. Ct. 3 Oct.
That the stipil sal be made apon the rude loft 1494 Peebles B. Rec. I 195.
To … mak all … durris, wyndos, [etc.] … pertening to the said stipil a1578 Pitsc. II 319/1.
Thair rais sic ane tempest of vind that it blew downe the housis and the stipillis 1624 Brechin Test. IV 144.
Stippill 1631 Glasgow B. Rec. II 2.
For ane frie passage fra the turnpyik of the laiche stipill to the south syde of the said kirk 1631–32 Glasgow B. Rec. II 503.
For the kok, glob and thanis to the stiple in the Trongait, lxxviij li. 1666 Old Ross-shire II 82.
Doune casting of three bartisanes stones from the top of the stible

b. As the housing for bells or the public clock. 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 499.
To ane wrycht for making of ane scaffald for dountakin of the samin [bell] furtht of the stepill 1541–2 Soc. Ant. III 162.
The said stepill … with lychtis at all partis for the sound of the bellis … to be persit 15.. Christis Kirk 179 (B).
So rudly rang the commoun bell Quhill all the stepill rokkit for rerd 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 196.
To find stringis to all the bellis inwith the stepill 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 300.
Gevin to there men for down taking of the knok furth of the stepill 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 301.
Ane duir and fluring to that pairte of the stepill quhair the knok stands, to save it fra weit and wynd 1593–4 Edinb. B. Rec. V 109.
[The council] fynds it expedient … that the haill bellis of the stepill be rung at aynes 1608 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 50.
To the workmen that pat in the joists in the steipall under the knok 1644 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 723.
As also ordanis the said Patrik to tak doun the kirk bell and to putt it up in the stipell 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III 5.
Ane knock and ane paill of belles to be put in the steiple 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 14.
To bestow the money … upon a peall of bells and for erecting and building a stepell at the west port

c. As a stronghold or watch-tower. 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 355.
Be awyce of the cheptour I causit valk the stepill for feir of Duncane Roy … ilk nycht viij d. 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 285.
For drawing of foure greit pece and thre cuthrollis to the stepill … for drawing up of the daillis to mak ane platforme on the stapill and ane corbell for reculing of the peces 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 112.
The watch of the stiple sending one of the croseguard, who, … mett of thair owin cumpany that had come out of the stiple to persew the young men 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 122.
Gibsone wha was captane of the stiple 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 25.
[That he will desist] fra all fortifeing or using of the said stepill as ane house of weare 1596 Dalr. II 321/23.
Ane that watchid in the steipiel a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 115.
All great gunnis placit upoun steplis, … in or about the toun, for defence tharof, sould all be removit 1600-1610 Melvill 248.
The bischope … for feir could nocht byd in the kirk but tuk him to the stiple c1610 Melville Mem. 230.
Thir soldiours … fled; except a few that kepit the kirk and stipell 1614 Crim. Trials III 297.
Grantis that he wes captane of the companie being within the stepill … . Grantis that he boght some trunscheour plaittis, and ane pott, with some linning cloathe for thair furnishing in the steple 1615 Crim. Trials III 275.
The tressonabill intaking and manning of the kirk and steiple of Kirkwall

d. As a prison. 1582 Elgin Rec. I 167.
Cristen Makȝane … to pas to the stepill and thair to remane in ward for the space of tuentie four houris 1584 Elgin Rec. II 4.
Ordanit to be incarcerat within the stepill 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V 69.
To Alexander Reid, smytht, for tua pair of scheckills to the witches in the stepill, 1 lib. 12 s. 1598 Elgin Rec. II 64.
He is appointit to mak his publict repentance … and to stand xxiiii hours in the stepill 1599 St. A. Kirk S. 893.
He is ordinit to be imprissoned in the stipill 1599 Cart. S. Giles cxix.
The sclaittis and rwiff of thair kirk hes bene greatlie damnefeyed be the criminall persounes wayrdit in the steipill 1607 Kinghorn Kirk S. 10.
Ordains Jhone Hagie to be put in the stepill and Elspet Stock in the tolbuithe till the morne 1628 Peebles Gleanings 131.
The haill counsell hes licenciat James Broderstanes to haif access to the commoun hall of the stepill ilk day … till the counsell tak sum forder cours anent his liberation 1632 Peebles B. Rec. I 372.
Johnne Robene … being creat … javellour and keipar of the stepill and javill houssis and tolbuith

2. attrib. and possess. In relation to a place or building, in sense 1 above.attrib. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 188.
The fore entre to the kirk stepill a1578 Pitsc. II 89/17.
The Frenchemen … montit artaillȝe on the colledg stepill 1596 Dalr. II 295/9.
He seageng the castel with cannounes shott aff the toune steipell a1605 Birrel Diary 45.
St. Geills kirk steiple 1609 Peebles B. Rec. I 358.
Gif itt be possibill, ane dowcat to be biggit vpone the Hie Kirk stepill 1628–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 146.
For makeing the tounes armes in brass, to put on the staff of the tolbuith steipill 1629 Aberd. B. Rec. III 24.
That the pricket of the Tolbuith steipill salbe biggit and perfyted 1630 Glasgow B. Rec. I 374.
To cullour the post of the Blakfreir stipell 1632 Glasgow B. Rec. II 10.
For the kok to the Trongait stilpill, gloib and four thanes, … and for dressing the brodis of the bell 1636 Glasgow Trades House 177.
Anent the repairing of the hospitall stipill 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 346.
The knock of the weyhous steiple … is lyeing in the laich parliament hous 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 31.
The parochoners … are much prejudged throw want of a bell in the Grayfrier stepellpossess. 1543 Acts II 434/2.
Schutting and emissioun of gunnis furth of the palice of Lynlythqw and stepill of the samyn 1544 Reg. Privy S. III 104/1.
The tressonable withhalding and defending of the castell of Glasqw and steple thairof 1555 (1608) Reg. Great S. 786/1.
Pro 800 … persolutis in reparationem duorum campanilium lie stepillis et prikis loci de Scona 1563 Reg. Cupar A. II 280.
For biggyne wp of twa laicht durris and the vmest dur of the stepill of Cupar, for keping of the tymmer of the kirk and stepill 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 167.
To burde and loft the steeple of Linlithgow 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 202.
The capitane … causit tak the stepul of Sanct Geillis kirk and man the samyne 1576 St. A. Kirk S. 417.
Al transgressoris … be impresoned in the steple of the parroche kirk 1589 Anal. Scot. I 278.
The wynd … blew doune the stepall of tolbuith of Aberdeen and the stepill of the kirk of Aberdeen in ane howir 1596 Dalr. II 273/9.
The castel of Glasgwe and the steple of the kirk agane he prepares with munitioune a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 68.
And siclyke he fortefeit the steiple of the great kirk of the toun with men of war c1650 Spalding I 31.
Ane gryt storme … threw doun the staitlie croun, biggit of curious ashler wark, af of the steipill of the Kingis college 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 3.
The said James Haldine to be put in cloise prisone within the steipill of this burgh 1681 Inverness Rec. II 298.
The … counsell haveing called for the kyes of the steeple of this brughe

3. By metonymy. a. A church. b. transf. A living attaching to a church.a. 1567 G. Ball. 211.
Had not ȝour self begun the weiris, Ȝour stepillis had bene standand ȝitb. 1543 Acts II 430/2.
Maister Nicholl Creychton person of Hauch askit instrumentis that he had presentit ane supplication of the bischop of Dunkellis tuiching the wrang done to him in taiking of his place of Cluny and stepill of Dunkell

4. A steeple-like ornament or finial on a bed. 1656–8 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 503.
For four bed roodis to Mr. George Sinclaris bed and eight stepillis 4 l.

5. attrib. With byggin (Biggin(g n. 2); bell, dure, vall; hous (Hous n.¹ 2).(1) 1488 Peebles B. Rec. I 193.
For ane chawder of lym to the stepil byggin 1492 Peebles B. Rec. I 193.
For ane hundreth laidis of stannis pait to the stepil byggin 1492 Peebles B. Rec. I 194.
[They] grantit tham to be fowely pait be the town for fourty futtis of the stepil byggin(2) 1654 Peebles B. Rec. II 24.
For ringing of the stepill, scoll, and mercat belles 1693 Peebles B. Rec. II 145.
I the said Thomas Paterson shall … punctually … ring the steeple bell — 1547 Edinb. Hammermen 172.
ix trouchtis, ij vnder the pulpot … ane anent the pyllar that is nixt the stepill duyr 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 174.
That Patrik Guvane belman keipar of the knok haif ane key of the stepill dur 1651–2 Peebles B. Rec. II 192.
For ane slot to the stipell dure — 1600 Mill Mediæv. Plays 236.
The displaying of the taffatie on the stepill vall quhen he vas wairdit thair(3) 1672 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 281.
Professing the principles of them called Quakers, rejecting the publict ordinance of divyne worship, and calling the kirks steiple housses