A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Girth, Gyrth, n.2 Also: girthe, geirth, gerth. [ME. gyrth, girth, gerth (13 … ), ON. (*gerð-,) gjǫrð.]
1. A girth for a saddle. ?1438 Alex. i. 2627.
Sadill, renȝe, girth and patrall At that grit bir war brokin all Ib. ii. 6282.
Thay hurkled … Sa hard that gyrthis in shunders glaid 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 341.
For viij gyrthis to his led horse 1498 Ib. 388.
For … thre girthis to the samyn sadill 1537 Ib. VI. 336.
For tua pair of girthis … for armyn sadillis a1568 Bann. MS. 138 a/69.
I haif … Ane brydill, ane girth, and ane swyne bledder 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 203.
Setting ane bowkill upone your geldingis hawsing gerth
2. A hoop for a barrel, tub, or other vessel or article. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 118.
Men lufys nocht for the gyrthis the wyne 1488 Acts II. 213.
That twa girthis be maid of irne, ane for the middis and ane for ilkane of the endis [of the barrel for salmon] 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 115.
For new girthis set on the powdir barrelis 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 38.
For the making of ane geirth to the funt 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 51.
Item viij d. for gerthes to the furlattis 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 207.
Tuentie new pekis banddit with girthis of irne, ane in the mouthe and ane vther in the boddum 1598 Acts IV. 176/1.
Pompis with flatis & heinȝies or girthis maid of cordis, wod, horne, or mettall 1640 M. Works Acc. XXIX. 104 b.
For twa bukitts with ironn girthis and iroun boullis thairto
3. Attrib. with bukil, heid, tail, tre, wob. 1434 Exch. R. IV. 593.
Pro gyrth-treis in castro de Strivelyne 1510–13 Rentale Dunkeld. fol. 156.
Duodecim plusculorum equinorum wlgariter lie girtht bukles 1568 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 658/1.
The graithing of ane chair and couering of it, and girth wobis to it 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 314.
Ten elnis of girth wobbis at ix s. the elne Ib.
Tua dosone of girthheidis at iij s. the dosone 1623 Ib. LII. 72.
Certane beltis, tagis, and girth taillis
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"Girth n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 27 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/girth_n_2>
