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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Twelf, Tuelf, num. Also: twelfe, twelff(e, twel(e)ve, twelth, tuelfe, tuelff(e, tuelv(e, tuelwe, tueff, twalff, twalve, twallv, tualff, tualf(e, tuallff, twolf(e, tewylf, toul(l)if, tulve, twel(l, tuel(l, twal(l, twale, tual(l, twoll, tuoll, thwlf, tyelff. [ME and e.m.E. twelf, twelue (both c1175), twellf(e (both Orm), twalf (Layamon), twolf (Manning), OE twelf, tuelf, MDu. twaelf, twelf, MLG twelf, twolf, twalf.] The cardinal number twelve. Also denoted by 12 or xii.

A. adj. 1. Qualifying a noun.(a) 1375 Barb. i 531 (C).
Alexander … conqueryt … all this warld off lenth and breid, In twelf yher a1400 Leg. S. xlv 39.
Hir twelfe madynis 1439 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 143.
Quhilk twelf pundis I oblis me and my heiris to pay a1500 Colk. Sow iii 121.
So stout a stoir come of thir brether twelf And thair sisteris 1494 Halyb. 49.
Som off that pok … 12 li. 14 s. 8 d. 1513 Doug. xi iii 75.
Twelf days of trewys thai band c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2180.
Off hym discendit … The twelf gret trybis of Israell 1581 Acts III 216/2.
Euerie dosand of clayth [sall contene] twelf ellis allanerlie 1603 Montgomery Mem. 246.
Tweleue yards of cobub lane 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 56b.
The gallon sould conteine twelue pound of water 1627 Dumfries Test. Ia 139b.
Twelffe 1672 Glasgow Weavers 20.
Twelfe punds Scotis(b) 1375 Barb. x 552.
With a schort ledder may we I trow off tuelf fute it may be, Clymb to the wall wp all quytly ?1438 Alex. ii 3257.
Tuelfe c1420 Wynt. iv 2435.
Tyberyus wes warrayande … Wytht legyownys tuelff [W. xii] off knychtys gud a1500 Seven S. 2566.
Thai had a son tuelf ȝeris of age 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 371.
For tuelf pece of … tymmer 1585 Edinb. Test. XV 26b.
Tuelf caisis with ane kamb in thaim 1600 Aberd. B. Rec. II 207.
The sowme of tuelff pundis … for furnessing of candillis to the haill herssis in the kirk 1665 Grant Chart. 347.
Seven ky and seven care, at tuelv pounds the peece 1680 Blackness Customs 3b.
Fyftie pund weycht of iron wyer in tuelfe hanks(c) 1475 Lennox Mun. 104.
Grantis me to haff resawit tuell ȝeris malle hale and togedder … of my forsayd landis 1594 Acts IV 72/2.
Euerie theif … salbe estemit the man … of him … on quhais ground the theif … is ressett and taries tuell houris togidder, with the knawlege of the landislord 1654 Dumfries Council Min. MS 23 Oct.
Tuell pund Scotts 1671 Rothesay B. Rec. 207.
For furnising a trie to the herberie of tuell fute(d) 1516 Stirlings of Keir 309.
The sovm of twolfe pundis wsuale monee of Scotland 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II 92.
The sowm of aucht merkis, twolf schillingis, alewin penneis(e) 1533 Bell. Livy I 21/28.
Quhen he had schawin the samyn, apperit to Romulus xij [B. twoll] grapis 1550 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 449.
Twoll capones twoll pultre twoll muirfowlis 1600-1610 Melvill 221.
We war in nomber about twoll persones passingers inbarkit about the beginning of Merche c1656 Irvine Mun. II 260.
Twoll eiken jeasts(f) 1606 Dunblane Test. III 97.
Tualff 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 87.
The ane halff of the said schoolmaster and reideris maintenance and allowance … quhilk extendit to tuallff meillis malt 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Of peuter plattis tualfe 1656 Stitchill Baron Ct. 7.
Twalve punds sixteen shillings 1682 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 17 Aug.
Twallv kyn with ther fowllowrs(g) 1590 Old Ross-shire I 27.
Twal bollis beir ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1884) 18.
Duray … ane iyle … lyand from the southwest to the northeist twale myle of sea from Gigay 1631 Cullen B. Ct. 2 Dec.
Tuall c1637 Innes Sketches 520.
Ten or tual dayis 1650 Inverurie Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. V 212/2.
[He] did not give twall chappis with the flail 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 322.
Tuall capones(h) 1603 Montgomery Mem. II 246.
Toullif yards of brod ribens 1603 Montgomery Mem. II 246.
Toulif

b. As part of a higher cardinal number. c1420 Wynt. v 2674.
Efftyr the byrth off oure Lord dere Thre hundyr wyntyr and twelff yhere c1475 Wall. vi 107.
Tuelff hundreth ȝer, tharto nynte and sewyn, Fra Cryst wes born 1492 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 39.
A thousande four hwnderetht four schor and twelf yeris a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 271.
The feild Quhair twelve thowsand trew Scottismen wer keild 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 281.
For cutting of sevin skoire tuelf laid byrne wode 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 1b.
Twelth scoir of penneis is ane pwnde 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 317.
Key knopps the groce contening tuelf dozen vi li. 1643 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 34.
They have thoght good that the twelf hunder men appoynted for them be lifted up with diligence 1665 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 276.
Ilk double hundreth plaiding being tuelf scor elns 1677 Stirlings of Keir 514.
It [sc. the poll] … was carryed for them by above tulve hunder

c. As part of a sum indicating the rental value or extent of a piece of land. 1494 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 354.
The said Henry … sal … efter the mariage betuix him and the said Margerie geif to her twelff merkis worth of the said landis 1530 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 97.
Jhon Donaldson is rentalit in tewylf s. vj d. land in Dauidstoun 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 116.
The twelff merk land … in Stromfirthe c1607–15 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 156.
Twentye last of land with twell mark for the glebe c1690 Cunningham Diary 130.
The twelve shilling six penny land of Over Johnston

d. Expressing time: Twelve o'clock. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 158/1.
Betuix twell houris and ellevin I dremed ane angell came fra hevin 1581 Elgin Rec. I 160.
Tueff houris at none 1608 Inverurie B. Ct. 26 April.
It is statut … that all the nychtbouris … sall big thair fauldis betwix this and the xxvii day at twall houris 1616 Haddington Corr. 131.
The bwreall of my lady and sister being on the samin day … bott [I] was at court fenceing on the preceis thretteint be twelff houris 1638 Johnston Diary I 329.
Thy wyfe took her brasch at tuel hours 1640 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 65.
Tysday, Alexander Cuninghame and John Johnstone buried at twalve hours 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 140.
My Lord Chancellour and my Lord Rothes … ar parted this same day att twalve acloke for Londone

2. Applied to persons and things of which there are or must be twelve. a1400 Leg. S. vi 386.
Sancte Thomas vas rycht fovs Till tel the twelfe greis of vertuse a1400 Leg. S. xv 5, 8.
The apostolis twelf Ilkane ane article be it-selfe Mad, & in the cred are Twelfe articulis, les na mare 14.. Acts I 22/2.
His lande … the quhilk he has boucht lelely thruch wytnes of tuelf men of his nychtburis in pes and wythoutyn chalangyng 14.. Acts I 361/2 (see Hand n. 1 e).
Giff a burges … aw to purge him again the king or his balȝe … with xi hand he sal purge him and quhar the querell tuechis the kingis person or lif or memberis or land or tenement than with the xij hand he sall purge him 1535 Stewart 31189.
To represent the tuelf apostolis … Tuelf images into that kirk he maid 1549 Compl. 50/4.
The Zodiac is deuidit in tuelf partis, and ilk part is callit ane sing 1552 Conv. Burghs I 3.
The provest … and counsale … to cheis ane new counsale to the nowmer of twelf personis 1574 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 33.
Euery ȝeir thair is chosin twelf lytes to be baillies 1638 Aberd. B. Rec. III 123.
That none be invited … to a lyik walk within the burghe … except onlie tuelff honest men of the ewest freynds and neirest nichtboures of the deceassit persone 1641 Kingarth Par. Rec. 3.
Robertt Glasse for his furnicatioune … to stand bare headed and bare legged in sakcloth … from the 1 bell to the third [etc.] … and that for the space of tuell Sabbaths 1648 Murray Early B. Organ. II 222.
And the daill to stand for twell yearie efter the daill 1667 Edinb. B. Rec. X 25.
That ther be sex companies … eatch companie consisting of twell lustie able men

3. Tweluesum, twelve in all. ?1438 Alex. ii 3230.
In tale tweluesum wer thay tald

4. Put for the ordinal twelfth. Chiefly expressing the date or placing an event in time. (Twelft(e adj. 1.)(1) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 443.
In Egipe vas I borne, … In the twel ȝer of my ȝuthed Fra kyne & cunctre bath I ȝed 1418–19 Liber Melros 502.
This indentour made at the abbay of Melros the twelfe day of the moneth of Februar 1491 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 327.
The tuelf day of Junij the ȝer of God ane thousand four hundereth nynte and a ȝher 1549 Hist. Pluscardyn 242.
At Spyne the tuoll daye of August 1604 Stewart Mem. 110.
The tualfe day off Juney 1642 Fam. Rose 329.
The tualf day of Fabruar 1680 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 12 Jan.
At Kirkcaldie the tuelffe day of January(b) 1565 Lennox Mun. 267.
The thwlf day of November(c) 1652 Dumfries Council Min. MS 12 Feb.
At Dumfries the tyelff day off Febry(2) 1533 Boece 513b.
He made the bischoprik of Lismore … to be the twelf sege of Scotland 1549 Lamb Resonyng 81/21.
Boece in his tuelf buik of Scottis historijs sayis that [etc.]

B. ellipt. and absol. Passing into noun. 1. (A group of) twelve. 1375 Barb. xv 178.
For schyr Eduuard with his baner And his twelff … On all that rowte sua hardely Assemblyt that [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii 5699.
Thai all twelff folowand, Ilkane a gud burdowne in hand 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 103.
I … of thé na thyng fayn, That hes the tother twelf into thy tong Translait of new … Bot to my buke ȝit lyst thé tak na heid 1600-1610 Melvill 457.
The number of ministers … ordeined to vott, viz., fiftie, was sa grait, that whowbeit an, twa, thrie, four, or ten or twoll, war away, ther might be anew behind 1622-6 Bisset II 257/19.
Twelf or fyftene dais a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 304.
If ther be twell or moe spoons, he should have twell; and if ther be fewar nor twell, he should have bot one 1633 Writers Signet 264.
A list of foure and twentie of thair nowmer being nominat, and devydit in tua tuelffis 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 32.
With power to the foirnamet persounes or to so many of thame as sall happin to conveine and meit for the tyme, being twalff 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 70.
Its known to all, the Devil may dwell In some of fourteen, as of twell

b. As part of a higher cardinal number. 1375 Barb. ix 520.
Thai assemblyt all thar mengne, I trow [twelf hunder] thai mycht be a1538 Abell 3a.
We may not ane wthir computatioune eftir Eusib schawand of the thre score and twell interpretis that [etc.] 1570 Sat. P. x 310.
That thay suld na mair thair thift alledge Thre score and twelf he brocht of thame in pledge

c. Expressing time. Cf. A 1 d above. 1595 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 170.
Thay sall have thrie hours … to seik ther meit ane hour in the morning fra nyn to ten, at midday fra twell to ane, and at night fra sax hours furth 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 115.
Betuixt tuell and ane houris at nycht 1649 Elgin Rec. II 434.
The writting to be … censured immediatelie befor tuell 1673 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 7 July.
That ilk halffe quarter … shall enter at seven and louse at twelffe and the uther halffe enter at on efternoon and louse at sex

2. In special uses. Chiefly, in reference to the twelve disciples of Christ. Cf. A 2 above. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 132.
God … sad thame alswa, quhen at He Suld sit in sege of maieste, Thai twelf suld set with Hym-self c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark xiv 10.
Judas Scarioth, aan of the tuelue 1562-3 Winȝet I 89/25.
The numbre of the communicantis, of the quhilkis we reid only twelf 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 289.
Amang Christis awin twelf … Ane tratour was 1669 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 256.
Ther is tuelwe of tounes militia company allotit to the freedome of this burght 1685 Glasgow B. Rec. III 379.
The number of the merchands who were to be leitted being twelve in number

3. Put for the ordinal twelfth in ellipt. use. Cf. Twelft(e adj. 2. a1400 Leg. S. xii 355.
Sa tuk thai hyme for the twelf to be 1549 Lamb Resonyng 95/17.
This nedis na vther pruife than Polidor in his tuelf and threttein buik