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.

Taw, n.¹ [North. e.m.E. taw (1615), ON tág a root, fibre, thread.] A fibre or fibrous root of some plant. Only pl. — 1525 Prestwick B. Rec. 51.
To mak ane ac of tawys & bynt [= bent] ruttis powen, & al pykaris to be expelyt 1525 Prestwick B. Rec. 52.
The hail comite ordainis, quhat fre man beand tane wyth tawys & bent ruttis powen … fra Beltane quhyl Lames, he sel pay iiij s. for his wnlaw 1543 Prestwick B. Rec. 58.
At na man, fre or onfre, gadyr tawys, and geyf ane freman be comprehendyt gadirand tawys … he sal tyne his fredome