Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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Chaft, n.¹ Also: schaft, cheft. [Northern ME. chaft (c 1300), OE. *ceaft, related to ON. kjapt-, kj pt-r.] A jaw. Chiefly in pl. chaftis. To semble with (one's) schaftis, to make faces.(1) c1420 Wynt. iii. 146.
A gret swarme off beys thare Wele hyvyd within the chaftys ware 1456 Hay II. 121/26.
Rub it all about thy mouth within and on thy chaftis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 764.
A nothir sone apon the hed strak he, Quhill chaftis and cheyff [v.r. cheik] vpon the gate can fle c1500 Rowll Cursing 59.
The choikis that haldis the chaftis fra chowing c1500 Ib. 120.
Sayis richt thus of Rowlis geis, Tha chaftis thame chowit every peis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 108.
Sa heklis he my chekis, … as a glemand gleyd glowis my chaftis c1500-c1512 Ib. 290.
Quhen that the chuf wald me chid with girnand chafts 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 92.
With ȝour chaftis to gnaw ȝe salbe fane … ȝour tabillis al 1513 Ib. vii. xiv. 10.
Chymera, That wondrus monstre, with wide chaftis bla 1513 Ib. ix vii 113.
In the harn pan the schaft he hes affixt, Quhil blude and brane al togidder mixt 1531 Bell. Boece II. 91.
Ane immoderat flux of catterre fel in his throte and chaftis 15.. Christis Kirk 76 (M).
Throw bayth the cheikis he thocht to cheir him Or throw the chaftis haue charde him 1547 Stirling B. Rec. I. 48.
Calland hir huir and theiff … and that scho suld lay the pynt stoup on hir cheftis 1553 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 160.
Thay aggre … to cry out with oppin chaftes on the halie Counsalis 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 4078.
We sall … check ȝow into chenȝeis, vp be the chaftis chockit 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 114.
Fast to my chaftis my tung sall be Claspit, or that I it forȝet a1578 Pitsc. I. 319/26.
Thair war money markit that day throche the chaftis with ane sword 1588 King Catechism 173 b.
I brak the chaftis of the vniust, and pluckit the pray out of thair teithe a1605 Montg. Flyt. 97.
I promise thee heere to thy chafts ill cheir 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 115.
Thou tuik his instrument owt of his moutht, than tuik him on the chaftis therewith 1608 Glasgow B. Rec. I 291.
And he cum neir me I sall lay on his schaftis 1622 Glasgow Weavers 68.
I sall skinne thy chaftes, and tack ane buckie afe thy cheike 1637 Elgin Rec. I 256.
Dinging of hir … and gewing of hir sindrie cuiffis in the schaftis 1638 Dickson in Select Biographies II 25.
Neuer man shall get the doore dung in his schafts that would be in(2)1513 Doug. viii Prol. 60.
Sum ledys langis on the land, for love or for lak, To sembyll with thar schaftis and set apon sys

b. Chaft-blade, the jawbone. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2087.
Heir is ane relict … , Of Fine Macoull the richt chaft blaid, With teith and al togidder c1600 Montg. Suppl. xv 24.
As his schaft-bleid can witnes beir 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 210.
The child died after she had most cruelly broken the chaft blades thereof