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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hal(e)sum, Hailsum(e, a. Also: halsome, -soum, hailsome, haylsum. [Northern ME. halesome, -sum, halsumm (Orm), midl. & southern holsum. Cf. Helsum a.] Wholesome.

1. Conducive to health; health-giving, salubrious.(a) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1904.
His modyr to woddis mad offt repayre For the delyte off halesum ayre 1456 Hay II. 138/29.
And alsa the slepand wateris of lowis … ar nocht halesum c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 248.
Halesum the vale, depaynt wyth flouris ying 1531 Bell. Boece I. lxi.
I wait thair is na region … mair halsum 1543 Reg. Morton II. 289.
To permut the halsoum and warme air with cauld and tempestious air 1596 Dalr. I. 6/17.
Ale … is a drinke maist halsum 1600-1610 Melvill 30.
I … usit sa mikle bathe of the hand and racket catche as might serve for … halsome exerceise(b) c1420 Wynt. i. 1339.
Flowrys … Hale off hewe, haylsum of ayre Ib. iv. 276. a1500 Henr. Fab. ii.
Spryngys the flowris & the corne on brerd, Hailsum & gud to mannis sustunens 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 28.
Be the hailsum spreit of hevynnys lycht Ib. xiii. Prol. 46.
Euery thing … Bownys to tak the hailsum nychtis rest 1531 Bell. Boece II. 110.
This cruell pestilence rang nevir amang the Scottis, quhill thay left the hailsum temperance of thair eldaris 1528 Lynd. Dreme 764.
The sweit hailsum arromatyke odouris 1596 Dalr. I. 5/16.
The windis … blawis oft … , quhair throuch the cuntrey is … mekle hailsumer

b. fig. Conducive to mental or moral well-being; calculated to do good; beneficial, salutary. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1761 (B).
Despising thus hir hailsum document 1528 Douglas Corr. 126.
With mony uthir hailsoun [sic] and wyse admonisionis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 24/28.
This Romulus … gaif to thame mony halesum and profittabill constituciouns 1560 Acts II. 526/2.
The Confessioun of Fayth … apprevit as hailsome and sound doctrine 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 117.
The maist hailsum word of lyfe c1590 Fowler II. 59/22.
An haly and hailsom prayer

c. Preserving from harm, protecting. 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 103.
On hed the halsum helm of hoip onlace

2. Possessed of remedial virtue; curative, medicinal. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 1074.
Medicinaris … in bath of oyle hyme laid, For that wes halesum, as thai sad c1420 Wynt. v. 3904.
This is bot halesum medycyne 1513 Doug. xii. vii. 90.
The hailsum jus of herb ambrosian c1552 Lynd. Mon. 134.
The hailsum herbis medicinall a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1381.
The cherrie … , Nane hailsomer for his behuve

3. Full of health and vigour; healthy. 1513 Doug. ix. v. 70.
Ascanyus, … Ȝong and fordward into hys hailsum age