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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.

Begin, Begyn, v. Also: begine, begyne, beggine, biggin, P.t. began(e, beggan, bygane; begouth(e, begoutht, begowth(e, beguith, beguth(t, becouth, becuth; begoud(e, begov(i)d, begod, begud(e, begwd, beguid, begwid; begould, beguld. P.p. begunnin, -yn(g, begonnyn, bygonnyne (beginnyng, -gining); begun(e, begwn(e, begwin, begon(e, begonne, begown(ne, begoun(e; begoud. [Northern ME. begin, begyn (bigin, bygyn), midl. and southern beginne(n, biginne(n, OE. be-, biᵹinnan (ONhb. beᵹinna), p.t. began, begunnon. p.p. begunnen. The forms begouth, begoud, etc., of the p.t. in Sc. are on the analogy of couth. p.t. of can.]

1. To begin or commence to do something. (Also rarely with ellipse of to.)(a) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 120.
Quhene gud men suld to faste begyne 1456 Hay I. 26/3.
Here begynnis he to speke of the fyft angel a1500 Rauf C. 130.
I am thrawin, Begin we to threip 1490 Irland Mir. I. 60/6.
Sene we begyne to speik of the state of innocens c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 46.
Quhone the nycht begynnis to schort a1568 Scott v. 26.
In May begynnis the golk to gaill 1596 Dalr. I. 291/23.
The nobles heir beginis to tak a terrour(b) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 845.
Than begane his kneis to quake c1420 Wynt. iv. 1588.
Sa Rome … Respyre in-to gud hope began 1456 Hay I. 41/7.
Syne thai began to mak the citee of Rome a1500 Peblis to Play 109.
He began to lauche 1549 Compl. 40/14.
The marynalis began to veynd the cabil a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 72.
Scho thus begane to say(b) 1375 Barb. ii. 393.
Thar small folk begouth to failȝe a1400 Leg. S. v. 153.
Thane begouth thai soroful to be Ib. xxxiii. 284.
Thai becuth to fle away Ib. xlix. 237.
Quhen the bulis becouth to ga c1420 Wynt. i. 412.
Gif that the flude begowth to swage Ib. iv. 1103.
Than in Scotlande the Scottys Begouthe to regne c1475 Wall. v. 321.
Thiddyr he come or day begouth to daw c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 1.
Rycht as the stern of day begouth to schyne Id. liii. 1.
Sir Jhon Sinclair begowthe to dance 1533 Boece iii. viii. 103 b.
Quhen Phebus begouth declyne 1550 Crim. Trials I. i. 354.
He and his brother begouthe to grow greidie 1570 St. A. Kirk S. 338.
Sen he begoutht to travel in this citie 1600 Crim. Trials II. i. 250.
He beguith to enter in conditionis with the king 1611-57 Mure I. 11/81.
Thus I beguth to chyde him Id. 100/174.
She … thus begowth to break(c) a1400 Leg. S. v. 352.
The folk … begud to lofe God 1533 Gau 99/6.
Thay quhilk begwid to cum to me 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 81.
Efter that Sathan his horne begoud to blau 1600-1610 Melvill 145.
My wound … beguid to blude apace 1648 Hope Diary 148.
The English armee … begoud to play with their cannon 1650 Stirling Ant. IV. 154.
Till the Session begud to waken it(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 158.
Curage in thame was noucht begonne to spring 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 220.
Workmen ar begwin to cast … ane dyk 1597 Rec. Marischal Coll. I. 78.
Sir Alexander Fraser … hes begwn to … big vp collegis

2. tr. To make a beginning to (an action, etc.).(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 3525.
The tothir syd the neyst wers ay Suld begyn Ib. vii. 63.
Here is best now to begyn Thi purpos c1450-2 Howlat 848.
The Pape begynnis the grace c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 22.
We sall begyn ane cairfull soun 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 290/2.
With power to set … and begyn courtis 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 219.
To begyn the said werk on Monunday 1597 Ellon Presb. 5.
Beginnand the epistle to the Romans(b) c1420 Wynt. ii. 1477.
Quhat evyre it wes, it thai begane 1456 Hay I. 41/12.
Thus began thai thair conquestis 15.. Clar. iv. 796.
The nobill king anone begane the tabill 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 617.
Thair Holieglas begane his gaidis(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 4750.
Quhen he begouth this dowtus werk a1500 Henr. Fab. 1396.
He … thus begouth ane taill 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 306.
Thus [I] begouth of Virgill the twelt buke 1570 Leslie 128.
He begouthe ane new skarmishe 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 165.
He … begouth ane grave discourse(c) 1535 Stewart 61272.
That samin tyme this ilk wark I begould 1588 King Cat. 22.
Beffoir he begoud his occupations 1680 Brodie Diary 441.
This day we begud our harvest(c) 1375 Barb. ii. 189.
To maynteym that he had begunnyn Ib. viii. 6.
That at he begonnyn had c1400 Troy-bk. i. 149.
Sen he has this debate bygonnyn 1456 Hay I. 7/6.
How weris and bataillis ar first begonnyn Ib. 38/4.
How Rome was first begunnyn a1500 Bk. Chess 70.
The gentill sporting of the ches … first begunnyng was 1513 Doug. iv. vi. 70.
Be our sposage begunnyn 1533 Boece iii. ii. 92 b.
This kinrik be antecessouris begunnyng(b) a 1470 Liber Aberbr. 107.
The vrangus occupatioun … was mowyt and begwn on this vay c1475 Wall. ix. 734.
Gret stryff thar was begon c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 44/14.
And the prayere and vrisoun be weile begonne 1513 Doug. i. x. 31.
As is begun the mater sall not remane 1528 Acts II. 330/1.
All proces of forfaltour begun or to be begwn a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlv. 22.
Ane werk weill begone makis the better end 1576 Misc. Spald. C. II. 43.
The beigin and thikin of the rwife … was begwin 1622-6 Bisset II. 176/13.
Increse of blise … wes begoune 1620 Ann. Banff II. 167.
Quhilk was … begwne at … Witsonday 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 178.
Ane registre of baptism begune be Walter Cullen(c) 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 165.
The treatie that is begoud [= Memor. 130 begoune] in England

3. intr. To make a beginning. Also with at, to, with.(a) a1400 Leg. S. viii. 12.
Firste of Marte at the maumente He suld begyne c1420 Wynt. ii. 909.
Quhare I left, now to begyn I have in purpos 1456 Hay II. 86/19.
He mon begyn at gude witt c1475 Wall. v. 1114.
Eduuard him bad at the castell begyne a1500 Bk. Chess 1200.
I will nocht so begyn c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 13.
Lat se … now quha begynnis 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. 206.
To begyn … to the bigging of the Tolbuith 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 7.
He begynis with a stuir … voice 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 130.
It is appointed … to begyne with the same this nycht 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 185.
Beginand at half nyne hours at nicht(b) a1500 Rauf C. 140.
Of sic taillis thay began c1515 Asl. MS. I. 215/5.
The Pictis regnit j^m lxj ȝere fra thai began c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 59.
Thai twa to ane play began c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2171.
Nynus began with tyrranrie(b) a1400 Leg. S. xlviii. 141.
He beguth at Ewe [= Eve] c1420 Wynt. v. Prol. 18.
Fra the fyrst yhere at Procas In Rome begowth 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 248.
Swa doun … to … quhar we begouth first 1513 Doug. i. xii. 5.
Prince Eneas … Begouth and sayd 1535 Stewart 23365.
He … Begouth alway quhair that his bruther left 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 91.
The skyrmeis begouth about 8 horis at nycht(c) a 1470 Liber Aberbr. 108.
Ane othir lard … begwd quhar his predecessor lefte 1535 Stewart 52894.
Tha left the mater war than tha beguld 1545–6 Elgin Rec. I. 86.
As tha begovid with him a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxiii. 55.
Now fairweill as I begoude 1629 M. Works Acc. XXI. 49.
The painteris begude the 28 of August 1680 Brodie Diary 429.
We begud not at worshipping of God

4. To take beginning; to commence.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 446.
The romanys now begynnys her c1420 Wynt. vii. 3416.
The gret were wes begynnand then 1443 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 96.
With four moneth till ryn and till beggine fra the said term 1456 Hay II. 29/21.
Gude justice begynnis at it self c1515 Asl. MS. II. 141.
Heir begynnes the tale of the wplandis mous 1541 Reg. Cupar A. II. 15.
The entres … sal begin at … Witsunday 1570 Peebles R. Rec. 319.
Quhen the werk is begynnand a1578 Pitsc. I. 1/1.
Heir beginnis the historie … of Scotland(b) c1420 Wynt. vii. 790.
In the nest yhere … The ordyr Premonstrens began 1456 Hay I. 22/34.
In that tyme began a grete scisme 1535 Stewart 59158.
This famous studie in that ȝeir began a1570-86 Maitl. F. clvii. 19.
Ever sen the warld began(b) 1375 Barb. xx. 75.
His mailleis of ane fundying Begouth c1420 Wynt. i. 1713.
In hys tyme begouth mawmentry 1490 Irland Mir. I. 9/23.
Quhen wysdome begouthe in Grece 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 86.
A miserabill slauchter thar begouth 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 14.
The pest begowth in Edinburgh 1591 Grant Chart. 180.
Befoir the laitt elestis begowth(c) 1581 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 112 b.
The first termeis payment … beguid at Witsounday 1603 Moysie 65.
The parliament beguid the xiij day of … Julij 1657 Balfour Ann. III. 170.
The sermon begude 1689 Siege Castle Edinb. 97.
The tumult begoud againe(c) c1475 Wall. vii. 1008.
Quhar gret striff has begown