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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Clos, Clois, Close, n. Also: closse, cloce, cloise, cloys, clous(e. [ME. close, cloos, clos (c 1300), also northern cloise, cloyse, OF. clos, L. clausum. The phonology agrees with that of Clos,a.]

1. An enclosed space (adjacent to a house or other building); an enclosure, court or courtyard.(a) 1474 Acts II. 107/2.
That na man hwnt, schut, nor sla dere nor rais in wtheris closis nor parkis c1475 Wall. i. 235.
He knew the hous … ; The gude wyff than within the clos saw he Ib. iv. 215.
On Gargownno was byggyt a small peill, … Within a dyk, bathe clos, chawmer, and hall 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 285.
Giffin to the pynouris for bering of vij^xx of dalis in a clos to be kepit 1496 Ib. 291.
The clos quhare the Kingis dalis lay 1503 Ib. II. 392.
For strowing of the Abbay Clos with girs the tyme of the mariage 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 11.
Amyd the clos … Stude thar that tyme a mekil fair altare 1520 Dunferm. B. Rec. 174.
The closat withtin the clos sal be half ane fut vndir the richt verk of the sol of the yeit 1596 Dalr. II. 214/27.
Quhen the king and his nobles war … in the Palise, and infinit peple in the Abbay closse 1600 Acts IV. 204/1.
The deponar and the erle of Gowrie cum furth of the ȝaird throw the hall to the clos and come to the wtter ȝett 1611 Brechin Test. II. 158 b.
Of tymmer at the schoir and in the clos, the haill estimat to iiij^c lib a1650 Row 495.
They resolved to preach in the Earle of Marshall's closse or hall, according as the weather should rule 1654 Lanark B. Rec. 153.
For making of ane lym hooll in the said Iames Craig his clos to the undermynding of his hous 1657 Melrose R. Rec. I. 145.
The … baillie deput gives full powar … to tak them [sc. cattle] home to thair awin closses, and give they want closses to put them within lockfast doores 1675 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 291.
Any red, middings or fulȝie that shall be takine out of the closses or from backsyds, … and laid doun wpon the foirstreet 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 187.
He had seen servants of Iames Forbes carrieing cornes by Iames Buchanes hall door and throw his closs 1701 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 597.
Finding the North side of the inner closs of the colledge without a causey … I gave orders for causeying the same 1715 Coll. Aberd. & B. 44.
The best of them [sc. houses] are within closses or squares(b) 1478 Acta Aud. 59/1.
The spulȝe maide … onne Michell of Chavmer landis of Leithe callit Wilsons clois in the taking of certain poindis 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 535/1.
Landis of the Castelhill … with the clois, thre riggis and tua buttis of land pertening thairto 1529 Stirling Ant. IV. 218.
Sande Duncan grantit that he cam ower the dyk in Iohn Aikynes clois 1533 Boece ix. xx. 341.
The kingis corps in funerall attyrement was lade in the palace clois 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 68 (R).
The grete bing was vpbeildit wele … Wythin the secret cloys, vnder the sky 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1916–7.
In the clois quhen he was lichtit doun, The grewhound hard horsmen into the clois [: voce] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 163.
Thaj brint the said toun … with ane clois and barne ȝaird full of cornis 1585 Prot. Bk. G. Fyiff 39.
Ane ruk of bear and banis … standand in … Wm. Barclayes clois 1594–5 Misc. Spald. C. V. 119.
Item, for ane garrone to the madin, … kareing of hir to the hill, and hame again to my Lord Merschells clois 1631 Peebles Gleanings 77.
Ane flesch mercat in the clois of the new tolbuith c1650 Spalding I. 49.
Thay maisterfullie dang wp the vtter court yettis and callit in the goodis within the clois 1662 Peebles B. Rec. II. 51.
Iames Brotherstanes, … aucht and should oppine his awne clois(c) 1558-66 Knox I. 175.
Thei easilie gat entres [to the castle]. Thei addres thame to the myddest of the close 1570 Leslie 184.
No man durst be sene on the wallis nor in the close of the samyn 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 298.
Mr Iames … cuming furth to the close to convoye his wyfe to the vtter yeat a1578 Pitsc. II. 89/18.
The Frenchemen montit artaillȝe on the colledg stepill … and condemnit all the close and wallheidis withtin the said castell 1615 Crim. Trials III. 276.
[They] pryset vp his bak ȝet, enterit within his close, dang at his hall dur with ane garroun 1628 Black Bk. Taymouth 68.
In … 1628 Sir Duncane Campbell … buildit ane house vpon the west syde of the close of Finlarg 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 576.
They … threw the said compleaner out of her house into the oppen close with her insight and plenishing 1680 Echt-Forbes Chart. 147.
A stable, … , a byre … and a barn framed in a close with close dykes and gate

2. A narrow space between buildings and giving access to these; an entry or passage.This use evidently originated in Edinburgh, where the ‘closes’ belonging to the various ‘lands’ were narrowed to admit of more building on the ground within the city walls.(a, c) 1504 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 100.
Ane or twa persouns of euery close quhair infectioun is or happenis to be 1512 (c 1580) Ib. 137.
All persouns dwelland within that close or vinell 1531 Ib. II. 46.
The broustaris of this tovne … fra the west port till the Lord Borthikis clos 1554 Ib. II. 205.
That all personis inhabitaris of clossis furnis bowettis and lanternis thair nycht about 1570 Sat. P. xii. 13.
Sic ane prince … Tint be ane tratour steilling vp ane close 1571 Prot. Bk. A. Millar 8.
The keiching abone the clos and pend a1578 Pitsc. II. 251/33.
Thir lordis and gentilmen … passit vnder staires and in clossis for feir of the cannonis of the castell 1596 Dalr. II. 174/18.
Seing a possest persone … rinn throuch gaites, houses, close, wynes, straits and streits 1600 Acts IV. 204/2.
Thair aboad sindrie persones within the said close 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 118.
In ane closse or throwgang serving for ane entrie to … Barnard Lindsey his dwelling hous … and to the hous possest be the said compleaner 1674 Ib. 3 Ser. IV. 181.
The vennells and closses being so thick and joyned together 1681 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 302.
To put out baill fyres at the heid of ilk clos, at such tymes as they be warned by ringing of the bellis 1690 Glasgow Chart. II. 402.
Whilk tenement … is now demolished, … and converted in a closse or lane for decorment of the said burgh(b) 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 44.
In the north est quarter, viz. fra the Loply stane till Lord Bortheks clois Ib.
Fra the Nethir Bow to Alexander Cantis clois 1565 Edinb. B. Deeds 197.
To big … ane foir ȝet at the heid of my said clois, sua that the inhabitanttis thairof may be clois within thame selfis 1575 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 126.
To put ordour to ane bordaill, allegit kepit be ane Urquhart in Grayis clois 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 79.
All and sindrie the premisis wes don in the said Henrie Cas his duellinghous in the clois callit Ihon Stonnes clois

3. In clos, closely shut up or within doors. c1475 Wall. iv. 493.
Thai … Held thaim in clos eftir this sodeyn cas, Or Sothron men suld sege him in that place

4. Attrib. (in sense 1) with end, entry, gate. See also Clos(e)dyke, -fute, -hede. 1569 Edinb. Test. I. 285.
I leif to … my sister … the hous in the clois end 1646 Kelso Baillie Ct. MS. 87.
Wpon the quhilk entrie the saidis hed never a ȝet or clos entrie of befor 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 130.
To Joⁿ Cars, smith … for helping a band to the back clossgat