Obs. exc. north. dial. Forms: 5 elsyn(g, 6–9 elsen, 5– elson, 8– elshin, 9– elsin. [app. a. MDu. elssene (later elzen(e, mod.Du. els):—*alisna:—OTeut. *alasnâ (whence by transposition OHG. alansa, alunsa); f. the same root as AWL + suffix as in OTeut. *segasnâ (-isnâ), Ger. sense scythe. (The Teut. word was adopted into Romanic: cf. Sp. alesna, lesna, It. lésina, Fr. alêne, Pr. alena.)] An awl.

1

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 138. Elsyn [v.r. elsyng], sibula.

2

1530.  Palsgr., 216/2. Elson for cordwayners, alesne.

3

1681.  Colvil, Whigs Supplic. (1751), 107. There lyes his elson and his lingle.

4

a. 1774.  Fergusson, Election. Syne wi’ a muckle elshin lang He brogit Maggie’s hurdies.

5

1830.  Galt, Lawrie T., II. ix. (1849), 114. I never bored a hole with an elsin in my life.

6

1864.  Atkinson, Whitby Gloss., Elsin, an awl. ‘As sharp as a cobler’s elsin,’ acute.

7

  2.  Comb.: elsin-blade, the blade of an awl, or the awl itself; elsin-box, a box for holding awls; elsin-haft, the haft or handle of an awl; also, ‘the old designation for a jargonelle pear from its resemblance to the haft of an awl’ (Jam.).

8

1571.  Wills & Inv. N. C. (1835), I. 261. Vj doss’ elsen heftes … elsonblades viijs. viijd.

9

1805.  A. Scott, Poems, 57 (Jam.). Ane ca’s a thing like elsin-box, That drools like corn-pipes Fu’ queer that day.

10