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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Auctorité, Auctoritie, n. Also: auctoryte, -itee, -itye, -itte; auchtoritie, aucthoritie, -ytye, auchthoratie; actorit(i)e, actorratie. [ME. auctorité (Chaucer), auctoryté, e.m.E. aucthorytye, OF. auctorité, L. auctoritas.] = Authoritie, Autorité.

l. Authority in opinion or statement.c1420 Wynt. i. 6 (that may noucht consaywyde be na prowyde be auctoryte); ii. 1463 C (for dout that women cal it myne auctorite). a1500 Colk. Sow iii. 150 (I allege non vthir auctorite). c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 52/28 (as mony auctoriteis of haly writ provis). 1533 Bell. Livy I. 54/15 (I find monyest auctoriteis saying the romane brethir war Horacianis).

2. Authority in power or rule.(a) 1456 Hay I. 23/10 (the Romaynis put in ane othir [pope] of thair auctoritee). a1500 Bk. Chess 2046 (of the roke the hale auctorite). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 32 (quhen he is clothit with publik auctorite); II. 86 (na auctorite micht garre thaim tary). 1554 Crim. Trials I. 372 (in hie contemptioun of oure auctoritie). 1567 Peebles B. Rec. 306 (dissobaiaris of the auctoritte). a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xxv. 93 (nother for Kingis nor Quenis auctoritee). 1595 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. 240/2 (of our auctoritie royall and kinglie powar).(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 411/13 (sum tyme our quein rang in auchtoritie). c1650 Spalding I. 85 (convocations contrair to auchtoritie).(c) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4279 (rewlaris vphaldyng thare aucthoritie). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 29/6 (aucthoritie to institute festual dayis). 1558-66 Knox I. 411 (resistaris of the auchthoratie). 1570 Leslie 171 (aganis the Paipes aucthorytye); 300 (be the contenance of the Quenes aucthorytye). 1593 Acts IV. 27/2 (full power and aucthoritie to decyd).(d) 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 190 (quhen sic office waikis be will of the attorite [read act-]). 1587 Conv. Burghs I. 232 (respecting habilitie or actoritie). 1595 Waus Corr. II. 523 (the attorratie [read act-] beand except).