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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sailȝe, Salȝe, Saill, v. Also: saily(e, sailȝie, saillie, saleȝe; saile, seill. [ME saille, saile (Cursor M.), sayly (13..), salys pres. t. (c1330) to assail, e.m.E. sailie (1664) to project, F. saillir (1080 in Larousse). Cf. Sailȝe n. and Assailȝe v.]

1. intr. To mount an attack or assault (esp. on a besieged place or a person), to attack, assail; ? passing into: To besiege.(a) c1475 Wall. viii 763.
In feild to fecht me think we suld be bayn Than sailȝeit thai rycht fast on ilka sid Ib. x 753.
He sailȝeid so, quhill strang hungyr thaim draiff; Sa feblyst war, the hous till him thai gaiff Ib. viii 783. a1500 Sir Eger 2097.
So doughtily as ye have sailyed, And that many thereof have failyed c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 27/66.
Thai thairin schup for to defend, And thai thairfurth sailȝeit ane hour Ib. 28/85. 1533 Bell. Livy I 151/28.
And thocht my aventure was first, euery ane of thame sall sailȝe [L. aderunt] as thai best may quhill thow be finalie slane 1535 Stewart 32900.
Tha … had no beleif That ony man than suld … seige the toun or salȝe in that part … stude on sa stark ane nuik(b) c1475 Wall. xi 414.
All the lawe … Ȝeid till aray agayn to sailȝe new. Wallace beheld … ‘Falowis,’ he said, ‘agayn all at this place Thai will nocht saill’ 1535 Stewart 6214.
Vnto the seig thai dressit thame … thai saillit with ane salt And tha within als lang than as thai mocht Hes maid defence

2. tr. To mount an attack against (a person or, esp., a defended place), to assault; ? passing into: To besiege. Also fig.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 17091.
The sege to the toun he layis And saleȝete it in mony kynd of wais c1475 Wall. v 992.
I wald sailȝe [1570 assaill] … Lowmaban hous Ib. ix 770.
He thocht to sailȝe Sanct Jhonstoun Quhar Wallace lay 1533 Boece 421.
Danis … with strang assege sailȝete the samyn [town](b) c1420 Wynt. vi 2330 (W).
Quhen he in weire his fais suld saill [: batall, v.rr. assaylle, assayle] a1500 K. Hart 110.
Gif thai wald the castell saillfig. a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. 54/170.
Quhen cairfull thochtis with sorow sailȝeis me(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 395.
Thane, tholand God, hyre he can saile With felone feuere & gret trawale 1535 Stewart 10793.
That cruell cald hes saillit him so soir With greit seiknes

b. With battell as cognate object: To engage in (battle). a1568 Bann. MS 77b/72.
Thocht thow be wicht as was Sampsone the force Battell to sailȝe ather in pece or weir

3. tr. and absol. or intr. In building work: To cause (part of a building) to project or to provide (it) with one or more projections.(a) 1589–90 Mylne Master Masons 67.
And sall sailȝie the bartazine thairof that it may commodiouslie beir the lummingis to be biggit thairin 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Neighbourhood Bk. MS II May.
Hes sailyeit his lath & sclaits ouer the said William's sclaits(b) 1699 Thanes of Cawdor 393.
To build two kirnalls or rounds seilled ouer the wall, that the gun holl may clenge the futt therof two wayesabsol. or intr. 1643 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 25.
That they rais their new sydwall plum right up … and that they nather saillie furth upon the said sydwall farder owt nor the said jadge nor [etc.]