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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tub, n. Also: tubb(e, tube, twb(e, toub(b, towb(e, toob(e, tobb, tobe, tab. [ME and e.m.E. tubbe (Chaucer), tob (1496), toob (1526), toubbe (1531), tub (1532), tube (1542), tubb (1557), MDu., MLG tubbe, tobbe.]

1. A tub, a vessel of varying size, usu. made of wooden staves and hoops or from a barrel cut in two, chiefly used as a container for commodities, materials, liquids, etc. or in the carrying out of various processes. Also with a qualifier, esp. denoting its purpose. For further examples see the entry for the qualifier.(1) 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 26.
A baike stule, and twa tubbis 1507 Treas. Acc. IV 77.
For ane tub and stuff to the kingis closet in Strivelin 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 44.
To ane couper for mending of the tubbis and bukkatis 1540–1 Treas. Acc. VII 491.
For tubbis to put the brintstane, cole, salpeter, and pulder in 1541 Prot. Bk. H. Anderson in Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. II 186.
Sir John Cunynghame [ … set out a] stuill, [a] trest [and a] tub [in sign of her ejection and removal from the said lands, as custom is] 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 126.
For girthing of the tubbis, ij s. 1549 Elgin Rec. I 96.
Androv Mill was in ane amerchiament for … the wrangus calling of the mettis of the burgh tubbis in the commond markatt 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 41.
For colis, tubbis, hardis, barrellis and uthiris necessaris preparit for bowaling of the king grace 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 84.
[She] enterit in the tub of commoun clanging to have being clangit scho havand the seiknes upon hir 1569 Inverness Rec. I 180.
Tuay litill tubbis price of the pece iiij s. 1580 Edinb. Test. VIII 193a.
Ane carkage of beif in the tub price thairof iiij li. x s. 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 51.
For ane Flemis tub viii s. … for a luget tub x s. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 44.
To a couper for girthis and dressing the burnestand tubbes and laidgallen 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 80.
For 3 how tubbes xxx s. For tua half barrell tubbes xii s. … For 2 mekle tubbes xvi s. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 27.
Tubbes 1639 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 411.
For ane wyne pounschoune to be tubis xviii s. 1671 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 13 March.
Ilk washer in tubs at St. Maries well a1700 Aberd. Journal N. & Q. IV 72.
Brewing vessells such as falls, tubs, stands, bowlis, and kimands(b) 1562 Will A. Betoun 225.
v flesche fatts and vij toubbys for fische 1582 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 139a.
Thrie pontiounis and toubbis for victuallis(c) 1643 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 41a.
For dressing the towbes in the pledghous(d) 1585 Prot. Bk. G. Fyiff 39a.
Twb 1650 Dumfries Treas. Acc.
For the mantining the twbes in the pledghouse for the prisoners(e) 1629 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 7 May.
To pay to hir the sowme of xiij s. iiij d. money as for the pryce of ane tobb(2) 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I 119.
A maskyn tub with the laf that langis it 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 20.
ij ulie barrellis for mortar tubbis 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
Ane flech tub … ane knedding toub 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XIII 119b.
Ane lavane tub, … ane wessching tub, ane bolting tub 1546 Treas. Acc. VIII 460.
Ane masoun tub 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. I 350.
For ane uly barrell to be lyme tubbis, iij s. iiij d. 1589 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 248.
Ane pair of new schone for lean of barking tub 1610 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 66.
For ane wirt tub x s. 1637 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. III 322.
For handling the pledge chamber tubis 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII 194.
Ane butter tubb(b) 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
Ane beryng vater tab(c) 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 348.
For mending of the wrichtis watter tube vj d. 1569 Inverness Rec. I 180.
Ane kowing tube price vj s. viij d.(d) 1630 Bamff Chart. 224.
Twa beiff toobs 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 146b.
Tua or thrie wasching toobes estimat all to ane pund(e) 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 146a.
Thrie milk tobes estimat all to ane pund

b. A quantity, enough to fill a tub or a further example of sense 1 above. 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 123a.
viij^xxiiij towbis walter to the lyme that was drakit in the kirk, ilk towb j d.

c. comb. Tabmat, ? a sack (Mat n.¹ 3) for use in conjunction with or of the same size as a tub or ? in some other sense of Mat n.¹ Tub-preacher, a contemptuous term for a dissenting minister. 1607 Edinb. Test. XLII 326b.
iiij greith kistis … tua tabmattis att iiij li. the pece … iiij pottis — 1659 Review of Protesters No Subverters 111.
If they will assert a warrant for their continuance in the ministry, tub-preachers may as well improve it to thrust themselves in over the Churches belly

2. transf. An enclosure. 1460 Hay Alex. 535.
He [sc. Bucephalus] was put in ane tubbe of allabast Ane brander of iron befoir him lokit fast