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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Soupill, Sowpil(l, adj. Also: soupl(e, sowple, suple. [ME and e.m.E. souple (1297), supple (c1440), sowple (1579-80), F. sople, souple (c1130 and c1265 in Larousse), L. supplex.]

1. Of a soft or yielding consistency; not rigid. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 96.
As birs of ane brym bair his berd is als stif Bot soft and soupill as the silk is his sary lume

2. Pliant, flexible; capable of bending or being bent without breaking or cracking.Freq. in Doug.(a) c1420 Wynt. iii 360 (W).
Cordis … off hert sennonis nocht all dry, Bot sowpill 1513 Doug. vii x 77.
Burnyst flaukartis and leg harnes … With latit sowpill siluer weill annelit 1513 Doug. xi ii 16.
Of small wikkyris fortobeld a beir Of sowpill wandis 1513 Doug. xi xv 141.
Hyr sowpil crag inclynand and nek bayn 1513 Doug. xi xiii 7.(b) c1620 Boyd Fl. Zion Exc. xxi/1.
Now, from the window with a souple wing, She swiftly flies 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 98.
She … on a sudden fell down … , her neck, arms limber and souple, which before were stiff as a frozen thing 16… Anal. Scot. II 103.
His solid pairts turne souple lyke ane eele(c) 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 749.
This poysoned preicheour of Godis word Is not vnlyk ane suple suord

b. (a) suple man, an acrobat, contortionist, or the like. Also transf., of his actions or tricks. 1705 Foulis Acc. Bk. 405.
For seeing the suple man act at the Netherbowtransf. a1605 Birrel Diary 45.
Ane man, sume callit him a juglar, playit sic sowple tricks upone ane tow, … the lyk wes nevir sene in this countrie

c. proverb., in fig. context. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1600.
Ye ar as soupl as a gluif

3. Of a person, in respect of his body or constitution: Capable of moving easily or nimbly; lithe; physically fit. Also, once, in fig. context, of an eel.(1) 1639 Baillie I 212.
The English … did gaze much with admiration upon these souple fellows [sc. the Highlanders] with their playds, targes, and dorlachs 16.. Maidment New Bk. Old Ballads 15.
I have a yonker of my own, They call him souple Sandy(2) 1692 Presb. Eloq. (ed. 2) 81.
What way will ye destroy him [sc. the Devil] … some of you will say, we will drown him … there is too much cork in his arse, he's as souple as an eel, he will not sink

4. fig. a. Compliant; complaisant; open to persuasion or manipulation. b. Devious, cunning.a. 1648 Hay Fleming Six Saints I 189.
Souple Andrew, I fear that be thy fault all thy days, both in principle and practice 1668 R. Moray Lett. fol. 463.
Hartlib seems to be a pretty man but he is said to be somewhat soupleb. 1719 Life and Death of Sharp in Misc. Scot. II 63.
Finding him souple and false in his dealings

5. Not fixed, indefinite; of uncertain duration. 1638 Johnston Diary I 375.
On Tuesday night the souple, indefinit delay, … was refuised … yet this day the noblemen suithered and voited to ane delay