Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sybo(w, n. Also: syb(b)owe, cybow, sibow, cibow, sybou(e, syb(b)oe, sybaw, syba(e, sybba, sybe, sibe, saybo, seibu, shibol. [F. cibule (1331 in Larousse), med. L. sepula, sipula (15th c. in Latham), cibolus (c1440 in Latham) a small onion, 17th c. Eng. cibol (1632), cf. e.m.E. and ME chibol(le (Piers Plowman), all f. L. cēpa, cæpa an onion.] A scallion or Welsh onion; a young or spring onion; chiefly pl. Also attrib.Also in fig. context.(1) 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 169b (11 July).
xv dussane of beddis of sybowis for xij s. the dussane 1574 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 306.
Teind sybowis [Calderwood III 335, sybboes], leiks, keale, onȝoons 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 39.
In castyng of hir doune … and skailing of hir sybois 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 426. 1597 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 347.
Sybbowis 1605 Edinb. Test. XL 232b.
The incres of the sawing of the leikis & sybous estimat to xx li. 1607 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 27.
Sybbowis he bocht fra him at Midsomer last 1623 Crim. Trials III 555.
Syboes 1628 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 364.
Sybowes a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 12.
Cepula, a sybow 1653 Sc. Ant. IV 161.
For pulling sybous on the Lord's day 1654 Dumfries Kirk S. 3 Aug.
That Catharein had stollin furth of her yaird twenty beds of sybows etc. c1665 Sel. Biog. I 340.
She bought baps and sybows … and gave to all the poor 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 33.
Some likes [sc. leeks] some sibows, beets or such like things and this is their delicates 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 28 Jan.
For ane bed of sybows and ane furlet of bowkaill 1677 Rec. Old Aberd. I 130.
Syboues a1706 Blythsome Wedding in Watson's Coll. i 10/55.
Sybows and rifarts and carlings That are both sodden and ra(b) 1587 Carmichael Etym. 37.
Caepe, a cibow, onyon(c) 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 80.
Sybas 1687 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 260 (1 July).
The haill sybaes or vnȝions and kaill growing in my yaird 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 105.
1 unce sybaes seed 1703 Foulis Acc. Bk. 327.
Sybaws(d) 1550–1 Perth Guildry 273 (20 Feb.).
Lekis apillis bareis sibeis or siclike small gudis 1659 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 218.
Sybeis(e) 1601 Dundee Shipping P. 69.
For saybos and sallads(f) 16.. Boyd Fam. P. No. 251 c.
For a bed of seibus … for milk and seibus(g) 1683 Reid Sc. Gard’ner (1683) 104.
Sow also beginning [of] July for shibols; ‘tis not worth the pains to win their seedattrib. 1574 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 16 June.
The actioun persowit be the laird of Balwearie aganis the sybo men to be defendit as ane comone actioun on the townis expens 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 252.
She prescryved syba heads and a sheeps draught … to mak broath(2) 1648 Hay Fleming Six Saints I 186.
I have beheaded your duke like a sybow 1675 Cramond Balveny Castle 22.
I'll head you like a sybow 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 479.
This day the head is as clean taken off the house of Cowthally, as you cowld strike off the head of a sybba