A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1420, 1475-1500, 1567-1568
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Mele, Meil(l, v. Also: mel, meil(l)e, meale. [ME. mele (14th c.), mælenn (Orm), p.t. meild (Cursor M.), mealde (Legend of Katharine), OE. mǽlan, ON. mæla. (Cf. Mell v.2)] intr. and tr. To speak, converse; to tell; to say.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 249.
To quhame gretand Paule cane mele [: hele] ‘Fare well, dowchtir’ a1400 Ib. xviii. 1236. a1400 Ib. xxx. 263.1 c1420 Wynt. (see Mell v.2).1 a1500 Henr. Fab. 697 (Bann.).
Bot to the tod thus gait the wolf couth mele [: sele] ‘Art thow contreit?’ a1500 Golagros and Gawane 69.
Bright letteris … Makand mencioune quha maist of manhede couth mele [: dele] a1500 Ib. 299.
Thair wes na man that durst mel to the king a1500 Ib. 395.
Schir Gawyne … Melis of the message to Schir Golagrus a1500 Ib. 354.(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 1042.
Prophettis quhome with God can meille [: leile] a1400 Ib. xxxi. 307.
[Th]is matron … Wald sum tyme … with the abbot gladly meile [: heile] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 1063.
Off King Eduuard ȝeit mar furth will I meill [: deill](2) a1568 Bannatyne MS 229 a/5.
The merle melit with all hir mycht a1500 Henr. Fab. 1710 (Bann.) (see Mell v.2).
Meale
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"Mele v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mele_v>
