A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Calf, Caff, Cawf, n. Also: calfe, calff (kalf(e, kalff), caulff, calve, pl. calwis, -ys; pl. caiffis, cauis (kaues), cawis (kawis); cauf (kauf, kawif). [ME. calf, kalf (pl. calfis, calves, etc.), OAngl. cælf (WS. cealf), ON. kalfr. See also Cair n. pl.]
1. A calf. (Also, a fawn.)(a) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. Prol. 67.
Luk [the evangelist] in schape of a calfe 1456 Hay II. 109/1.
Thy persone is … no mare to pris na the lyf of a calf Ib. 137/22.
Flesche of cow or calf 1472 Peebles B. Rec. 168.
Thai sal kep the sayd hill … fra all bestis and gudis bot hors and calwys a1500 Henr. Fab. 2731.
The pure husband [has] richt nocht Bot croip and calf 1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 45.
Of the hundreth skynnis, wollin, calffis, gaitis, hyddis, cunyngis, or ony vtheris c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 23 (M).
Be still my tuchan and my calfe 1531 Bell. Boece I. 186.
That na man sla ane baggit hynd, nor yit thair calffis 1549 Compl. 39/6.
The calfis began tyl mo 1557 Peebles B. Rec. 236.
To provide ane kepare to the said hill … that stirkkis, caulffis, and hors may be pasturit thairupone 1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. MS. 61.
[Thay] slew and distroyit xxiiij new calwit ky, trocht the quhilk the calwis thair of deyt 1583 St. A. Test. II. 18.
Ane quoy of twa ȝeir awld … and ane calve 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV. 171.
Na geir to gang nor feid thairin bot thair calfis 1597 Ib. XXX. 83 b.
Ane kow with ane kalff Ib. 84 b.
The kow and kalf foirsaid(b) 1437 Ayr B. Ct. MS.
Gib Donaldsoun … for the ȝher … sal kepe the caffis for j d the pece 1531 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 143.
All kynd of scheip, cawis, or wther siclik bestis 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 200.
Giffand for ilk twa new-cald ky … twa caiffis weill nureset 1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 63.
The third tyme kawif or kawis be apprehendit, … to pwind the sad kawif or cauis 1568 Waus Corr. I. 41.
Four tydy ky and thair cawis 1569 Inverness B. Rec. I. 181.
His styrkis with his kaues(c) 1505 Exch. R. XII. 673.
With Jhone McGilmwell bowman iij ky with cauff 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 262.
viij kye wytht thar cauffis 1531 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 143.
Anent keiping of the kirk ȝard fra horse, ky, kauffis, scheip, swyne, and all wther beistis 1549 Lanark Sheriff Ct. MS. 16 b.
He maid fayth he vpheld na kow to be with cawf 1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 63 (see 1 (b) above).
Kawif c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 23 (B).
Be still my cowffyne and my cawf
2. Attrib. or comb. with clovin-futtit, croft, flesch, hird, ledder, skin, waird. a1568 Pedder C. 39.
That calf clovin futtit fleid custroun Will mary nane bot a burges bairne — 1648 Elgin Rec. I. 184.
Iames Faire … wes decernit to mak payment … of 6s. 8d. for the wicaradge of ane calff cropt — 1456 Hay II. 130/14.
Than is gude calf flesch or kid flesche — c 1350 Liber Dryburgh 232.
Johanna Calfhird 1660–1 Peebles B. Rec. II. 202.
Ane pair of shows to your calf hird — 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 214.
Sevin pair of calff ledder gluifis — 1452 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 4.
Pellium … volgariter dictarum … calfskynnys 1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 43.
That thai be fre … of all payment of customes of … tod-skynnis, calf-skynnis, cunning skynnis [etc.] 1621 Edinb. Test. LI. 77 b.
Thrie dosane of kalfe skinnes — 1576 Prot. Bk. T. Lindsay 115.
The landis callit the Coitcroft, Hawcroft, & Cawfward, lyand in the west part of the burgh of Biggar 1584 Ib. XIV. 171.
That the calf waird of the Broklocht be commoun to my wyff and the said Petir 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 648.
Shoe … was at ane meitting in the back burne besyd the calfward
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"Calf n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/calf_n>