Show Search Results Show Browse

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Calf, Caff, Cawf, n. Also: calfe, calff (kalf(e, kalff), caulff, calve, pl. calwis, -ys; pl. caiffis, cauis (kaues), cawis (kawis); cauf (kauf, kawif). [ME. calf, kalf (pl. calfis, calves, etc.), OAngl. cælf (WS. cealf), ON. kalfr. See also Cair n. pl.]

1. A calf. (Also, a fawn.)(a) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. Prol. 67.
Luk [the evangelist] in schape of a calfe
1456 Hay II. 109/1.
Thy persone is … no mare to pris na the lyf of a calf
Ib. 137/22.
Flesche of cow or calf
1472 Peebles B. Rec. 168.
Thai sal kep the sayd hill … fra all bestis and gudis bot hors and calwys
a1500 Henr. Fab. 2731.
The pure husband [has] richt nocht Bot croip and calf
1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 45.
Of the hundreth skynnis, wollin, calffis, gaitis, hyddis, cunyngis, or ony vtheris
c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 23 (M).
Be still my tuchan and my calfe
1531 Bell. Boece I. 186.
That na man sla ane baggit hynd, nor yit thair calffis
1549 Compl. 39/6.
The calfis began tyl mo
1557 Peebles B. Rec. 236.
To provide ane kepare to the said hill … that stirkkis, caulffis, and hors may be pasturit thairupone
1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. MS. 61.
[Thay] slew and distroyit xxiiij new calwit ky, trocht the quhilk the calwis thair of deyt
1583 St. A. Test. II. 18.
Ane quoy of twa ȝeir awld … and ane calve
1584 Edinb. Test. XIV. 171.
Na geir to gang nor feid thairin bot thair calfis
1597 Ib. XXX. 83 b.
Ane kow with ane kalff
Ib. 84 b.
The kow and kalf foirsaid
(b) 1437 Ayr B. Ct. MS.
Gib Donaldsoun … for the ȝher … sal kepe the caffis for j d the pece
1531 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 143.
All kynd of scheip, cawis, or wther siclik bestis
1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 200.
Giffand for ilk twa new-cald ky … twa caiffis weill nureset
1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 63.
The third tyme kawif or kawis be apprehendit, … to pwind the sad kawif or cauis
1568 Waus Corr. I. 41.
Four tydy ky and thair cawis
1569 Inverness B. Rec. I. 181.
His styrkis with his kaues
(c) 1505 Exch. R. XII. 673.
With Jhone McGilmwell bowman iij ky with cauff
1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 262.
viij kye wytht thar cauffis
1531 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 143.
Anent keiping of the kirk ȝard fra horse, ky, kauffis, scheip, swyne, and all wther beistis
1549 Lanark Sheriff Ct. MS. 16 b.
He maid fayth he vpheld na kow to be with cawf
1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 63 (see 1 (b) above).
Kawif
c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 23 (B).
Be still my cowffyne and my cawf

2. Attrib. or comb. with clovin-futtit, croft, flesch, hird, ledder, skin, waird. a1568 Pedder C. 39.
That calf clovin futtit fleid custroun Will mary nane bot a burges bairne
1648 Elgin Rec. I. 184.
Iames Faire … wes decernit to mak payment … of 6s. 8d. for the wicaradge of ane calff cropt
1456 Hay II. 130/14.
Than is gude calf flesch or kid flesche
c 1350 Liber Dryburgh 232.
Johanna Calfhird
1660–1 Peebles B. Rec. II. 202.
Ane pair of shows to your calf hird
1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 214.
Sevin pair of calff ledder gluifis
1452 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 4.
Pellium … volgariter dictarum … calfskynnys
1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 43.
That thai be fre … of all payment of customes of … tod-skynnis, calf-skynnis, cunning skynnis [etc.]
1621 Edinb. Test. LI. 77 b.
Thrie dosane of kalfe skinnes
1576 Prot. Bk. T. Lindsay 115.
The landis callit the Coitcroft, Hawcroft, & Cawfward, lyand in the west part of the burgh of Biggar
1584 Ib. XIV. 171.
That the calf waird of the Broklocht be commoun to my wyff and the said Petir
1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 648.
Shoe … was at ane meitting in the back burne besyd the calfward

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Calf n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/calf_n>

5004

dost

Hide Advanced Search

Browse DOST:

    Loading...

Share: