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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pele, Peil(l, v.¹ Also: peille, peyll, peel, peal(l. [? f. ME. pilen Pill v. by regular lengthening of ĭ to ē, as perh. also in tele beside till and kele beside kill. See also Pile v.Cf., however, ME. pele (Manning), peolien (Ancr. R.), e.m.E. pele, peele, appar. repr. an OE. *piolian, peolian, var. of pilian (see Pill v.); and cf. also OF. peler to make bald, peel, skin.]

1. a. To rob or despoil (a person) (of something). b. To take by robbery or extortion, to steal. c. absol. To rob, plunder, pillage.a. 1456 Hay II. 27/12.
Ofttymes sik folk ar, be mare stark na thai, pelit and derobbit and thair gudis tane a1500 Henr. Fab. 1298 (Bann.).
Luk how I am be frawd, maistry and slycht Pelit full bair 1492 Myll Spect. 277/5.
Quhen thow art our riche and wald be pelit of thi gudis Ib. 284/1.
Scho … maid him … pele hire fader of his riches a1497, 15.. Gray MS. iv. 137.
Thow has na pety to persew To peille the pouer, beswik the blyndb. 1456 Hay I. 91/22.
Gif a man gais to the were for covatis to pele and rub gudis [etc.] a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxxxi. 31.
Quhone pen and purs and all is peild [: scheild, eild, heild] 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 55.
The pyrat pressys to peill [Ruddim. peil, Sm. peyll] the peddar hys pakc. 1494 Loutfut MS. 17 a.
A thef and brigand … peilland & revand 1637–8 Game at Cairds in Bk. Pasquils (1827) iii. 87.
The courte keipes staikes, the nobillis let and peel

2. To strip or peel (the bark) from (of(f) trees. 1424 Acts II. 7/2.
Thaim that be nycht stelis grene wode or pelis the barkis of [Skene pealis the bark off] treys distroyande woddis 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 115.
Williame Walkar [etc.] … hes … come to the said complenaris wode … and cuttit and distroyit the grene young growand treis thairof and peillit the bark of the same

3. To strip (something, of its outer covering); to peel, shave, defoliate or depilate. As a. a tree of its bark, b. a wood of its trees by cutting them down, c. ground of its surface covering, d. the head of its hair, an egg of its shell, skin of its hair, etc.a., b. 1497 Acta Conc. II. 91.
That the tennandis … war apprehendit … peland and distroyand his woddis 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 89.
Thaim that cuttis the alerris and peillis thaim 1549 Elgin Rec. I. 97, 98.
That na persoun cut or peill ony of the Sanquary … and all the nychtboris … to tell gif tha se … quha cuttis or pelis the samyn and quha apprehendis ony with the said void to heff … the cuttaris wapin that tha cut with 1563 Grant Chart. 128.
Allegeing the woddis … continuallie cuttit, pelit and distroiit be the travelloris vpon the said loucht 1579 Acts III. 145/2.
Quhateuer persone steillis, peillis and distroyis grenewod or pullis or cuttis hanyt brwme 1665 Forbes Baron Ct. 265.
Peill 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 195.
John Diksone … hes cutted, peilled, ryvin doun, destroyed and away takin the haill grouane timber and polacie within and about the fruitt yairdsc. 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 79 (20 June).
[Michael Anderson … has carried the hay [etc.] … from the ground] … kest divatts and peilled [the ground] 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III. 3 Dec.
That John Elder breaks the ground of the church yeard by delving faill for covering graves made in other places … therefore they discharge the beddell hereafter to breake or peill the ground in another place then where the grave is maded. 1535 Stewart 10378.
Quhair mekill blude and mony brokin bonis … And mony pallat peillit wes full bair a1605 Montg. Flyt. 482 (T).
Syne [they] callit it peild Pollart, they peild it so sair 1603 Crim. Trials II. 407.
He … hurt the barber that was peling his head a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 777.
Quhen sche peild ane egge and cuist it in her gob 1689 Aberd. Trades 206.
That no glover nor skynner … should … pluck, peal nor alme ony skin to ony person

4. intr. To cast or lose the skin, to peel. 1592–3 Elgin Rec. II. 28.
Part of the watter fell on hir feit and thairefter hir feit peillit

5. To unpack or unwrap (bulk goods); to separate into smaller packages for retailing.Very common in the phrase pak or, also and, pele: see Pak v. 2. for numerous further examples.(1) 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 180.
[He] byis hering [etc.] … cumand in at the said port of Leith … saltis and pelis the samin in grete hurt … of oure souerane Lordis liegis … and sendis the samin in Ingland and vther places 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 267.
That … na maner of fischis … be maid in grit, saltit nor pelit … bot be fremen of the gild 1594 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 60.
[Unfree men] peillis hering, salmound and uther merchandice 1612 Conv. Burghs II. 361.
And sic dowet hering as sall be peillit to be peillet in the feylds and nocht in barnes 1644 Edinb. Test. LX. 376 b.
xv knokes vnhandled hemp new peiled estimat all to xl s.(2) (1680) Fountainhall Decis. I. 81.
By the [acts of 1503 and 1603] the merchants must only pack and peil at free burghs: Now, loading and unloading is the same thing with packing and peiling: (This was denied by the Duke's Advocates, who called ‘packing’ the stowing of goods in packs, and ‘peiling’ they did not agree what it meant; some thought it was the furring of goods like a pile of wood)