chield Sc.
(tʃild)
Also 6 cheild, 6– chiel.
[App. a variant of child.
For child in its ordinary sense bairn is used in Sc. The chief difficulty with chield is phonetic: in no other word is Eng. -ild (-aɪld) represented by (-ild) in Sc. But no other origin for the word has suggested itself.]
† 1. In chamber-chield = valet; see chamber n. 13. Obs.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 703 With ane sword..His chalmer cheild and all the laif, to deid..he pot thame all. c 1565 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. 27 (Jam.) He called for his chamber-chiels, and caused them to light candles. |
2. A familiar term for man, esp. young man, lad; ‘fellow’, ‘chap’.
| a 1758 Ramsay Poet. Wks. (1844) 83 Twa sturdy chiels. 1786 Burns Dream iv, But facts are chiels that winna ding, And downa be disputed. 1789 ― On Captain Grose i, A chield's amang you taking notes. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xvii, She's breaking her heart..about this wild chield. |
3. ‘= child in Aberdeenshire’ (Jamieson).
| 1768 Ross Helenore 73 (Jam.) Heard ye nae word, gin he had chiel or chare? [(?) child or dear]. 1790 Shirrefs Gloss., Chiel, child; Wi' chiel, with child. |