Chiefly Sc. and north. dial. Also 5 elenwand, ellewande, elwonde, Sc. elnewande, 7–9 elwand. [f. ELL + WAND.]
1. A measuring rod, an ell-measure: sometimes used for ‘yard-measure.’
[1403. Nottingham Borough Rec., II. 34. Ipse Johannes cepit quendam elenwand, et ipsam percussit super capud.]
a. 1500[?]. trans. Leges Burgorum Scociæ, xlviii. in Sc. Acts (1844), I. 342. Ilk burges may hafe in his hous … ane elnewand.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 36. The heire of ane burges, is of perfite age, quhen he … can … measure claith (with ane elwand).
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., III. i. An elwand fills his hand, his habit mean.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xxi. (1857), 304. Beating time with his ellwand on the point of his shoe.
† 2. The larger of the bones of the fore-arm; = ULNA. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 139. Elle wande [P. elwonde,] ulna.
3. Sc. The group of stars called Orion’s Belt.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. Prol. 153. The son, the sevin sternis, and the Charll wane, The elwand, the elementis, and Arthuris hufe.
c. 1817. Hogg, Tales & Sk., IV. 29. King’s Elwand (now foolishly termed the Belt of Orion).
