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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Turnpik(e, -pyk(e, n. Also: turne-, turni-, turm-, tourn(e)-, towrne-, tur-, truin-, trum- and -pick(e, -pyck(e, -pyik, -piyk, -pig, -pek, -peick, -pect, (trumpket). [Late ME and e.m.E. turnepyk (c1420), turnpike (1543), tornepyke (1547), turne-peg (1641), turnepick (1623-4).] A (narrow) spiral staircase, which winds round a central axis; passing into a (?) curved staircase or steps more generally. Also in fig. context. Cf. Turngrece n.(a) 1416 Exch. R. IV 255.
Ad fabricam turris de Invernys … et … pro opere suo faciendo unum turnpyke et duos turrites 1512 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 226.
Turnpiyk 1546 Lyndesay in St. P. Henry VIII V 560.
Turnpyk 1548 Treas. Acc. IX 259.
For ane spar and ane half to be ane ravill to the turnpik at the entre of my lorde governoures chalmer, ij s. 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 169.
For the dissobaying of Richard Trowop Edinburgh, masour, … in the refusing to tak doun James Culanis turnpik vpoun the schore of Leyth 1567 Crim. Trials I i 495.
Turnpike 1567 Crim. Trials I i 496.
Turnpicke 1600 Acts IV 206/2.
Turnpyik 1600 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 699.
Entering in the turnpyck to pass up to his majestie he fand his brother thrawin down the stair dead 1611 Macgibbon & Ross V 5.
Ane turnpyik to be biggit and raisit be it selff at the northeist nuk of the maynhous of nyne or ten futis wyde 1628 Edinb. City Archives Moses Bundle 8 (352).
That first dwelling hous haifing the entrie within the turnpyck of the said tenement 1635 Glasgow B. Rec. II 31.
The said Mathow vndertakis … to sweip and keep clein the haill turnpykis and pillar heidis of baith kirkis 1671 Kirkwall Sheriff Ct. Deeds MS.
In the litle jamm abone the turnpick ane draw bed 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X 201.
That there be ane turnpyk built upon the east end of the wholl rainge of the buildings foundit and erected where the scaill stair now is 1686 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 20.
Ane house … with ane large scaill stair for ane entrie, with ane turnpyke in the back syd 1689 Misc. Spald. C. II 297.
At the entrie of the closs head foirnent Peirsons turnpyk 1689 Edinb. B. Rec. XII 23.
To erect and build ane turnpig for ane entry to the dwelling-house(b) c1420 Wynt. viii 5718.
The mekill yhete [sc. of Edinburgh Castle] oppynnyt he than … Than a staff tuk Wate off Curry And set wndyr the portculys … Syne the colis and crelis wyth-all Apon the turnepyk [C. turnpik, W. turnepike] lete he fall a1447 Bower Chron. II 332.
De captione castri de Edinburgh … ac etiam projectis cophinis et cadiferreis ad introitum turris, tunc e vicino, qui dicitur le turnipyk 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 526.
For the theking of the turnepyke of the nether tour 1552 Reg. Privy S. IV 267/2.
Gevand licence to the said James to big ane turnepik befoir his hous 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 415.
ix nowellis, reddy hewin, to the litill turnepyk within the hous 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 156.
To caus mak and sett vpoun the turnepyke of their tolbuith and javellour hous ane sufficient dur 1600 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXVI 14.
Turnepycke 1622 Reg. Great S. 108/2.
Turnepyck 1663 Marischal Coll. Rec. I 283.
With free issue … to the said foreland … be the foregeatt under the same & turnepycke in the closs(c) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1432.
A palice … with mony royall towris, … Pinnakillis, fyellis, turnpekkis [L. tournpikes] mony one 1516 Treas. Acc. V 78.
For the makin of ane turnpek in the palis of the abbay Halyrudhous 1661 Stirling Common Good 9a.
An iron chain to the head of the tolbuith turnpeick(d) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1432 (L) (see (c) above). 1565–6 Crim. Trials I i 471.
In the hous of Eduard Kinkaid … [he] fell our the baksyde of the tournepyke thairof vpoune his bak 1579 Rep. Maxwell-Stuart Mun. 42.
The entres of the said eist werk be patent to them … at sic tymes as neid requiris to pas vp the towrnepyk or stair(e) 1529 Edinb. Guild Ct. 29 April.
Safer as his turmpik is sett furth vtouth his sid wall(f) 1600 Crim. Trials II 153.
It pleasit God to direct Johne Ramsay to rin vp the blak-trumpyke; and thair, fynding the dur of the said chalmer opnit … enterit 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 331.
The west tour above the heid of the braid truinpick 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 64.
The thing we most noticed heir was a magnifick stair or trumpket … with great steps of cut stone, the lenth of which I measured and fand 20 foot(g) 1640 Bk. Carlaverock II 502.
In the musket camber … a tronk, and be loe in the turpike a coburd c1670 Douglas Chart. 344.
Wpon the turpyk that leades wp to the turpyk, twa windowes fixed with iron stainchellisfig. 1640 Rutherford Lett. (1822) 325.
He knoweth how long the turnpike [sc. to Heaven] is, or how many pair of stairs high it is; for He ascendeth that way Himself

b. comb. With dur, fute, hede, passage, round, ȝet. 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. I 323.
Ane schenȝe and ane small bot to the turnepyk dur of the counsall hous 1600 Crim. Trials II 156.
At the awld turnepect dur, the Maister of Gowrie was lyand 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 331.
Ane new key to the turnpik dur … xii s. — 1565 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 25.
In the chalmer at the turnepyk fuit ane burd of aik 1600–1 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108/10.
He … saw the maister lyand deid at the blak turnepyk fute — 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 105.
For … ane dure to the turnepyk heid of the kingis chalmer 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 188.
Turpyk 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 367.
To ane masoun for rasing of the turnepyk heid 1558 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 295.
For … naills to nalle the skalye on the turnpyk haid 1599 Crim. Trials II 94.
[They] come to the said James Seytounis duelling hous, to ane chalmer vpoun the turnpyke heid 1622 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 142.
For making of four small glasbandis for the turnepyk heid of the leadis in the castell of Edinburgh 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 314b.
The chalmer in the turne pyk heid — 1575–6 Treas. Acc. XIII 97.
For mending and reparing of the trumpyke passage to the eist hall of the palace of Halyrudhous — 1658 Nicolson Diurnals 10 Oct.
Mason work for the turnpyckround 1681 Highland P. I 319.
Turnpyke round — 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 526.
To the … smyth for viij score of square hedit nalis to the turnepyk yett of the nethir toure 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 357.
For ane grit lintill to the turnpyk yet 1622 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 143.
For ane furneished hand and snek with ane call to the new turnepyk yet besyd the well 1632 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 484.
For three hundreth paddock heidit nails to the thrie turnpyk yetis