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

Ta, Tae, n. Also: tay, tee, toe, toa. Pl. also: teis. [ME and e.m.E. tan pl. (a1225), to (c1290), ta (Cursor M.), taa (1340), toe (1566), OE tá, MLG tê, MDu. tee.]

1. The toe of a person; the front or end of the foot, esp. in contradistinction to the hele (Hele n.¹). Also, ellipt. for toenails. Freq. in the phrase fra (the) top to ta (see Top n.). Also to stand apon one's tais, to stand on tiptoe.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xl 650.
A knafe child … borne a bys[n]yng … For agane kynd wes it sa, That bakwart stud heile & ta 14.. Acts I 378/2.
Giff ony in burgh … geffis a dome in the court the deffendour sal other graunt or gayn say it And gif he turnis the tais of his fet [L. pedum ubi talones] quhar the helis stud before that he gayn say that dome [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2061.
The cadgear … all the trace he trippit on his tais; As he had hard ane pyper play he gais 1531 Bell. Boece I xliv.
The fischaris … cleik them [sc. mussels] up with thair tayis 1533 Boece 209b.
Sanct Reule … was admonist be the angell to tak the bane of the haly arme [sc. of Saint Andrew] with thre fingeris and als mony tais of athir fute, and … seik the ile of Albioun 1547–8 Treas. Acc. IX 165.
To ane … pure man quhayis tays was strikyn fra him at the assege of Brouchtye xxij s. 1562 Digest Justiciary Proc. D 47.
He [being] impotent be the said hurt of twa tais of his left fut a1568 Bann. MS 31b/44.
Vpoun my heid thay thrang a croun of thorn … The thorne pykis thay to my tay dang doun a1605 Montg. Flyt. 433 (T).
Tae 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Vnguis, the naile of a finger or tae 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Pollex pedis, the meikle tae 1662 Rogers Social Life III 314.
Fra the pointis of the fingeris To the nebs of the taes, Out sall the feaver gae 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 341.
The Earl of Murray, … found an akeing in his great toa … and dyed within 24 houresellipt. 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 300.
Palme croces, and knottis of strease, The paring of a preistis auld tees [v.r. teis](2) c1500 Crying of Play 45.
He wald apon his tais stand And tak the sternis dovne with his hand

2. The toe of an animal, etc. b. The toe of a representation of an animal. c1420 Wynt. i 694.
Monstrys … That nane can wyt … Quhethyr thai man or best sulde be. Sum … hawys … on ilke fut aucht tayis c1420 Wynt. i 795.
A best thai call Manticora … As elephawntys bath fete and tays, And as a swyne a tayle he hawys a1500 Henr. Fab. 467.
With that the cok, vpon his tais hie, Kest vp his beik, and sang with all his nicht 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics i 34.
Bracchia contrahit … Scorpius, retrahit chelas, bracchia (drawis abake his toes) 1596 Dalr. I 63/24.
Als esie as to ken the lione be his taesb. 1628 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 240.
To Johne Smith for lenthinng of the taes of the theane for the lyoun and the dressing thairof xiij s. iiij d.

3. The claw of a crab or lobster. 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 57.
Ten partane tais 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 4.
Toes of lapsters 1683 Coll. Aberd. & B. 100.
The craib differs from the partan in nothing, but that it is of a greenish colour and has no great toes to grip with

4. A point or tip of something, a prong. 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 355.
2 porring irons one of them with 4 taes