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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.

Tailȝ(i)e, Taile, v. Also: tailȝee, taily(i)e, talie, talye, taill. Pres. p. also tailliand. P.t. also talȝeit, tailied. P.p. also talȝeit, -ȝet, -ȝit, taylȝit, taylit, -ed, tallid. [ME and e.m.E. tayle (c1315), tail(l)e (both Manning), tail (1474), tale (1570), OF taillier, med. L. tāliāre, talliāre.] tr.

1. To determine; decide, agree, settle, arrange (matters). Also reflex. and absol. 1375 Barb. xix 190.
Eftre sone war trewis tane Betuix the twa kingis that wer Tailȝeit [C. talit] to lest for [thretten] ȝer a1400 Leg. S. xxi 346.
Sic fortone sal ȝe haf nedlinge, As was ȝow talȝet in ȝoure getting c1420 Wynt. viii 5311.
Hade the Talbot, as taylyd [C. talyt, W. talȝeit] was, Justyd, he had swelt in to that plas c1420 Wynt. ix 2860.
Be tailye off armys a journe Did, and fulfillyt wele, That tailyeit was all ilke delereflex. 1375 Barb. xviii 238.
He wald him taile To dystroy wp sa clene the land That nane suld leve thar-in lewand a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 237.
He suld hyme taile & pas to the towne fore vitale c1420 Wynt. viii 6736 (W).
He schupe him halely On Goddis fais to travale, And for that way he can him taill, Had he nocht beyne prevenyt with deidabsol. ?1438 Alex. ii 7955.
The morne sall the great battell be, For-thy suld we puruey and se How that we wyisly micht tailȝe, And keip vs fra this great battailȝe

2. To determine the succession to, to entail (lands, etc.). Also const. to (a person or persons).pres. 1397 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 32A.
The saide scir Jamys is … fulleli accordide at qwhat landis rentis & possessiouns that Dame Isabel … likis to talye [Douglas Chart. 37, talie] & gif … til hir … bruthir 1397 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 32.
To talie & make sikir with al gudely hast al landis rentis & possessiouns at the saide Jamys has … to ga to George of Douglas & his ayris [etc.] 1503–4 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 98.
To be tailyeand the said donatioun after herself to Margaret McCrerik her dochters airis 1568 Haddington Corr. 272.
Thaireftir tailyie the croun to thame selfis a1651 Calderwood IV 200.
Atholl … would not repudiate his wife, the Erle of Gowrie's daughter, and tailȝie the living to Arran's housp.t. c1515 Asl. MS I 243/7.
The Lord of Lorn … talȝeit all his landis to the male and surname in the said parliament 1659 House Gordon II 132.
He tailied his earldome to his aires male 1667 Highland P. II 56.
He tailȝied his right of the Lewes to MacKenzie in caice he had no aires malep.p. 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 48.
The qhwylk forsuth Murraf & Hedhouse the sayd Robert has gyffyn tyl hys forsayd brothir … suppose it was talȝit tyl hym of befor 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 48.
Taylȝit 1400 Maxwell Mem. I 141.
Taylit 1468 Yester Wr. 66.
All the landis … exceptand the landis that war talȝeit of ald tyme Harl. MS 4700 in 14.. Acts I 190 (red).
The king, the crown and the kinrik ar tailȝeit and hes stand under tailȝie thir vij^xx of yeris unbroken 1531 Bell. Boece I 24.
Of King Fergus orison to his nobillis; and how the croun of Scotland was tailyet to him and his successouris 1531 Bell. Boece II 395.
King Robert … gat the croun of Scotland tailyet [M. tailȝeitt] to him and the aris-male gottin of his body 1531 Bell. Boece II 403.
How the crown was new tailyeit [M. talȝeit] to David Bruce 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 121.
Tailleit 1584 Coll. Aberd. & B. 629.
His haill landis beand talyeit to his airis maill 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 467.
The said acres to be tailyeitt to the aires maill, quhilks failyeing to the eldest famele but diuisioun 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxxiv.
His father … wes in ane merweillous … perplexite, for his vyf wos now knawin to be withe chyld, the landis not tailȝeit; if scho had beine deliwer of ane dauchter, the hows sould heawe gone fra the nem 1664 Decis. Lords G. 88.
Tailȝied

3. To cut (meat, gemstones). b. Weill (ewill) tailȝeit, well (ill) fashioned, shaped. ?14.. Ship Laws c. 13 (B).
Of beryng furth of mete … the schypmen may bere syk kechyne furth as vsage of schyp is that is to wyt a mese that is tayled [H1 tallid] wyth in burde 1556-69 Inv. Q. Mary App. cl.
A great dyamant tailȝeit and certane perles 1581 Sat. P. xliv 200.
Sen Furie cuikis it may staik the ful veil The fyre to big … Ȝour equal stoutnes is manifestlie sene: Furie vith dag … Thou vith thy scripture callit halflang, I vene, The peperit beif can tailȝe be the threid 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 328.
Ane grit diamond [gap] squarit and tailyeit lyke a roisb. 1494 Loutfut MS 39a.
He … wes a heich man & weil tailȝeit of membris 1494 Loutfut MS 41a (see Manche n. b).
Manches evil taillit and schapin 15.. Clar. iii 1939.
He was … Weill tailȝeit of his bodie

4. To keep account or tally of. 1497 Treas. Acc. I 351.
Thome Foret, to remane in Dunbar to resaue and store and tailȝee the lyme, sand and othir gere 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 221.
To Allane Forrester … for resawing of the said tymmer … kepand and walkand the samyn and talyeand with the carteris xx s. 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 258.
To Thome Melvil … awattand upone the werkmen at the caichpule and tailyeand the stuf come thairto 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 248.
To ane servitour oursear of the … quarreouris and tailliand stuf 1559–60 Edinb. Old Acc. I 324.
Gevin to the portar that kepit the sand in compt and tailȝeit the samyne