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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Elf, n. Also: elfe, elff(e, elph(e, pl. elvys, -is. [ME. elfe, elf (also alfe), OE. ælf.]

1. An elf, a fairy. a1500 Henr. Orph. 242.
Thouch scho be like ane elf, Thare is na cause to plenye
a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 36.
Ignorant elf, aip, owll irregular
Ib. 345.
Thow lufis nane Irische, elf, I vnderstand
1513 Doug. viii. vi. 7.
Nymphis and Fawnys, … Quhilk fairfolkis, or than elvys, clepyng we
Ib. x. Prol. 154.
I wirschip nowder ydoll, stok, nor elf
a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 51.
Leyd nocht thy lyf lyk ane elf That our the feild can slyde
1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 7.
Ane elphe, ane elvasche incubus
a1605 Montg. Flyt. 256 (T).
Half ane elph, haif an aip, of nature denyit
Ib. 466 (H).
Ilk elffe of them all brought ane almous hous oster
1598 Misc. Spald. C. I. 121.
Thow affirmis that the elphis hes schapes and claythis lyk men … bot ar starker nor men

2. Attrib. and comb. with boy, bull, folk, schot (n. and p.p.), shooting, stone. 1662 Crim. Trials III. 607.
As for elf-arrow-heidis, the Devill shapes them (and delivers them) to elf-boyis
Ib. 604.
Ther wes elfbullis rowtting and skoylling vp and downe thair
1590 Digest Justiciary Proc. M. 22.
That thow wald gang in hillis to speik the elff folk
c1500 Rowll Cursing 68 (M).
Never to be but schot of blude Or elf schot, thus to conclude
1591 Crim. Trials I. iii. 231.
Scho be hir wichcraft declarit, that the seiknes that he had was ane elfschot
1650 Maxwell Mem. I. 352.
When kine wer elfe-shote … [She] confessed that shee had so graiped certaine kine
1650 Ib. 358.
Elfe shooteing cured by three fingeris of different persons putt in the holl
1659 Sc. Law Times (1935) 169.
She perceaved her thombe shot through with that which they call ane elffe stone

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

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