† scantillon Obs.
Forms: 3 schauntillun, 3–4 scantliun, -lion, -lyoun, 3–5 -lyon, scantilon, 4 -iloun, 4–5 -ilone, -elon(e, -eloun, -ylloun, -il(l)ioun, 5 -ylyon, -ylone, -eleon, -ulon, skantulon, -yllȝon, skanklyon(e, scanklyone, 5–6 scantlon, 7 scantillon. See also scantling.
[Aphetic f. OF. escantillon, eschantillon (mod.F. échantillon), of uncertain etymology.
According to Hatz.-Darm., an alteration (influenced by cantel cantle) of *esc(h)andillon, related to Pr. escandith gauge, It. scandaglio sounding-line; commonly regarded as f. L. scandĕre to climb, to scan.]
1. A tool used by masons and carpenters for measuring the thickness of anything; a gauge.
| a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 325 Ber wiþ þe squire and schauntillun, Also þu were a gud Mascun. a 1300 Cursor M. 2231 And do we wel and make a toure, Wit suire and scantilon [Gött. scantlion, Trin. scanteloun] sa euen, Þat may reche heghur þan heuen. Ibid. 8775 Þe king did cast wit scantliun [Gött. scantlyon, Fairf. scantilioun, Trin. scanteloun], And did mak al þe timber bun. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7064 Though it were of no vounde stone Wrought with squyre and scantilone. 15.. Debate Carpenter's Tools 107 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 83 Soft, ser, seyd the skantyllȝon. |
2. Dimension, measured size; in carpenters' and masons' work chiefly sectional dimension, thickness.
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxv, Þen shulde þe lymmer go þeder as þe hert yede in, and take þe scantelon of þe trace, þe whiche he shulde kutte of his roddes ende, and ley it in þe talon of þe trace. 1452 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 282, iij sengulere Principalls..in Scantlyon accordyng to the Principalls. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vi. clxi. 154 Theyse .ii. storyes..occupy in Frenshe, of leuys of great Scanteleon ouer .lxiiii. |
3. ? A stick cut to record a certain measurement.
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxv, Ley it in þe talon of þe trace þer as he yede in hardest grounde euen in þe botome þerof, so þat þe scanteloun vnneth touche at neiþer ende þe erth. And þat done, he shulde hewe a bough of grene leues and ley it þer as þe hert yede in and kutte an oþer scantelon þer after to take to þe hunter. |
4. A strip or piece serving as a specimen; a sample.
| 1465 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 492 My master bout of Barthelmew Syates a short goune clothe of cremysen velvet... And a short goune clothe of tawny velvet... And the said Barthelmew hathe it to kepe, and my master hathe sealed it at bothe endes, and take a scantylone of eche of them. 1530 Palsgr. 265/2 Scantlon of a clothe, eschantillon. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 403 This booke, wherein their words are gathered, and comprehended together by themselves, as the verie scantillons (as I may so say) and seeds extracted a part from their lives. |