Chiefly Sc. Also 5 keyle, 6 keyll, keil, 9 keal. [Of uncertain origin. Gael. and Ir. cíl may be from Sc.]
1. A variety of red ochreous iron-ore used for marking sheep, stone, timber, etc.; ruddle. Also, the red mark made with this on sheep, etc.
1480. Acta Dom. Conc. (1839), 57/2. To prufe þat þe gudis … war one þe lard of fernyis avne landis, & had his keyle & his mark.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. vii. 82. At this time has Pallas … Markyt ȝou swa … That by hys keyll ȝe may be knaw fra thens.
1596. Compt Buik D. Wedderburn (S.H.S.), 46. Twa furris hard Keill.
1728. Ramsay, Betty & Kate, iii. With a piece cawk and keel … He can the picture draw Of you or me.
1789. Burns, Captain Grose’s Peregrin., ii. He has an unco sleight O’ cauk and keel.
1817. Blackw. Mag., II. 85/1. The ewes were … half covered with a new keel, with which Millar had himself marked them.
1882. J. Hardy, in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, IX. No. 3. 430. A band of ‘keel’ or ruddle occurs in a quarry.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, 382. I took … to the trade of selling … red keel for the sheep.
2. Weaving. A mark made (with keel or other substance) by the warper at each end of a warp of yarn before it is delivered to the weaver, to ensure his weaving and returning the full length of the yarn given out to him.
a. 1813. A. Wilson, Poems, Hollander. Anither’s been upo’ the push, To get his keel in claith.
1866. T. Bruce, Summer Queen, 323. The pattern weel might stan’ the light Fair woven to the keel.
a. 1885. W. Sim, in Poets Clackmannan., 139. Tramp your treadles tell ye see Your hinmost keel and thrum in.
