A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460, 1513-1530, 1586-1687
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Sapling, Sipling, n. Also: saplyn(e, sapplyn(e, saplene; sipline, -ein, sipplyn, syplin, -yn(e, sippilling, syppilling, -ylling, sepplyn, seplene, suppline. [North. ME and e.m.E. sappelynge (1415), sapling (1543), saplin (1607), -lyn (1681), perh. f. sap Sap n.1; also north. e.m.E. sipling (1610), with obscure change of vowel, but possibly by influence f. Sipe v. Cf. OF souplin a shoot of a tree (Godef.).] a. A sapling, freq. specif. of oak, also (once) hazel-wood. Also attrib. Also (once) saplings, collectively. b. A length of wood; a staff. Also attrib. and comb. c. fig.a. (1) 1513 Doug. iii i 47.
A litil mote … Quhar hepthorn buskis … grew … And evin saplynnys [E. syplinnis, Ruthv. syplynnys, 1553 sepplynis; L. hastilibus] of myrthus, the tre funerale 1513 Ib. xi xi 43.
Within the rynd And stalwart sapplyn or bark of cork tre [L. libro et silvestri subere] 1607 Fam. Rose 294.
Williame Ros … sellis and disponis … the wood and growand treis of saplingis and birk 1665 Forbes Baron Ct. 260.
All … persones … dwelling in the said townes … sall keip thair haill nolt, hors [etc.] … from … quhair thair is any apperance of birk or saplenes(b) 1631 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 133.
The said James cuttit the number of 12 sipleinis of aik … ilke pece therof furth of the overwode of Colstoun 1643 Ib. 147.
For the wrangous cutting and destroying … of seven dussones of young hasel siplines 1665 Holmains Baron Ct. 8 March.
John Rae … being accusit of cutting greenwood and timber … confessit cutting ane oak sipling(c) 1661 Forbes Baron Ct. 228.
[They] ar ordained to sight the vodis of Bithnie, Putachie [etc.] … and seplenes of Logie(2) attrib. 1607 Fam. Rose 295.
Williame Ros … bindis and obleissis him … to caus carie and transport … fourscoir bollis sapling bark(3) coll. 1586 Inverness Rec. I 307.
Tuaye horse laidis of the greyne young saplyne, saucht, birk, and of the vther young growthtb. (1) 1460 Hay Alex. 12098.
Thare wiffis syne come efter thame rynnand Ilkane ane grete sapplyne into thare hand(b) 1513 Doug. vii xiii 85.
And ane hail sipplyn [E. suppline, Ruddim. syplyne; L. myrtum] of a gret myr tre … In maner of a speir in hand scho bair 1529–30 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 26.
Four akin syppillingis to be extreis to the stane cartis and sand cartis … xiii s. iiii d. 1530 Ib. 48.
For viii akin syppyllings of xx futis for ane new stane cart(2) attrib. 1529–30 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 26.
For four othir sippilling sparris for lymmerris to the said cartis 1686–7 Montrose Treas. Acc. MS.
For a sipling gird to the mill 14 s.(3) comb. 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 146.
With grite sipling treis gaif him mony bauch, bla and bludie strykisc. 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 43.
Shall these siplings and sprowtings [sc. of episcopalianism] be taken up and set with guiding again in the Lord's vineyard?
