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 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vermel(l, adj. and n. Also: vermeil, wermeil(l, vermile. [ME and e.m.E. vermayle (c1400), vermeill (1590), vermile (1592), vermel (1637), OF vermail, vermeil.]

A. adj. a. Vermilion. b. As the second element in a compound with Red(e adj. 17 b.a. 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 124.
The roys knoppys … Gan … kyth thar vermel lippys red 1513 Doug. xii ii 40.
Hir fresch vissage, As … quhar the scheyn lylleis … War pulderit wyth the vermel rosys red a1585 Maitl. Q. 116/87.
Ȝour … mouth … Lyik rosis redolent With vermell lippis of balme repleit c1590 J. Stewart 93/476.
Quhan the vermell Matutina sched In celest hews hir adgeit husband fro … And quhan the vorldis lycht began to spred Brycht rubie sparkis throch the purpur sky(b) 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI 205.
Of doublettis garnettis wermeillis & cristalleine xij dissone(c) 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 626.
The cherryes of sweet lips … the dimples of a vermile cheekb. 1549 Compl. 37/17.
Fische … vitht there rede vermeil fynnis

B. noun. The colour vermilion. c1590 J. Stewart 49/47.
Hir cumlie corps … For seimlie schame reed sprinklit … Lyk vermell paintit on the iwore bone