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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.

Bost, Boist, v. Also: boast. [ME. boste(n, boost(e, of obscure origin.]

1. intr. To utter threats; to threaten.(a) c1460 Consail Wys Man 159.
Quhen thow bostis to mak venginge, Thow warnis thi faa 1513 Doug. ii. x. 119.
The tre branglis bostyng to the fall 1549 Soc. Ant. XI. 95.
The said Erlis officeris … bosting to put thame crewallie to deith 1561 Crim. Trials I. 411.
Threw the feir scho tuke, quhen the said Robert, … bostit and send her worde [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 69/29.
The commonis of Ingland … bosting right highlie to be revengit vpoun the nobillis 1600-1610 Melvill 65.
What hes muvit yow yie neid to bost? Ib. 123.
He bosted that he wald houche Mr. Andro(b) 1567 G. Ball. 197.
Preistis … fecht not, nouther boist, nor schoir 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 59.
Boisting till haife puttin handis in him 1622-6 Bisset II. 352/15.
That he saw … ane angell … quha boisted to sley him(c) c1590 Fowler 63/151.
In that tyme when wintaris blast dois boast 1600-1610 Melvill 701.
He began to boast that he would … dischairge the Assemblie 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 144.
He boastis to ding ȝow

2. tr. To threaten (a person); to assail with threats.(a) 1456 Hay I. 29/31.
Thai brak in apon thame and bostit thame 1513 Doug. viii. xi. 20.
Thou mycht behaldin … Porsen … bostand men Ib. xi. vii. 134.
He … into armys dois bost the hevynnys he 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 214.
Quhilk lettrez war takin be the gait and the man bostit and fleit 1535 Stewart 27804*.
How the Brit Lordis … bostit the bischopis that maid intercessioun 1549 Compl. 124/3.
I am bostit, hurt, and oft tymis I am slane 1556 Inverness B. Rec. I. 2.
The sayd Thom bostit and dispresit the sayd Iohne wssand his office 1558–9 Treas. Acc. X. 416.
Chargeing … that nane … disturbe the service usit in the kirkis … or bost preistis 1570 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 120.
Master Thomas being menacit and bostit be the said erle 1587 Acts III. 430/2.
Forsamekle as diuers personis sumtymes minassis and bostis the saidis ministeris 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 85.
Scharplie bosting and thretning thé, that … he suld caus burn thé 1612 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 78.
Taking his sword in hir hand & bosting him thairwith c1650 Spalding II. 98.
Being by moltitudes of vnknowne peopill daylie bosted, manassed, and threatned(b) a1500 Prestis Peblis 300 (A).
Lykar to beg than enemys to boist 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 137.
The personis … quhilkis … daylie invadis, boistis and persewis thame 1533 Bell. Livy I. 124/15.
He boistit hir by hir deith to bring hir to perpetuall dishonoure 1535 Stewart 31302.
With drawin swordis … Tha boistit him scharplie 1558-66 Knox II. 156.
The raschall multitude … boistit the officiaris and tuke away the malefactour 1576 Misc. Spald. C. II. 330.
He was manesit and boistit be the said suddartis … to haue bene schott 1594 Ib. 124.
Ye thretnet and boistit your said maister … with ane quhinger 1605 Stewart Memorials 114.
Ihone Stewart … boistis, schoiris, monassis, and inuadis the seid complener 1628 Sutherland Corr. 148.
Honest Walter Strachoun is so boistit be hir letters that he thinkis it will do him harme(c) 1629 Boyd Last B. 7.
Out of these wounds, as out of its castle, it will boast the Deuill 1633 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 100.
They boast their creditours, and plague the poore 1634 Kircaldy Presb. 75.
He boasted the gudman of Kilmuks; also Walter Wilkie declared he boasted him in the kirkyaird 1654 Conv. Burghs III. 376.
They wer daylie boastit for payment 1674 Inverness Presb. 43.
Donald … boasted as also menaciouslie threatened the Minister

b. To command or drive with threats. a1500 Rauf C. 781.
Ȝone busteous beirne that boistit me to byde 1513 Doug. xl. xiv.
Tarchon … The fleand folkes to turn agane can bost a1650 Row 460.
Mr Craig did boast the dog from him, … but the dog would not be boasted from him

3. To announce with threats. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 28.
Quhat punitions ar thai that God … bostis and schoris aganis all the brekaris of his commandis? 1582 Crim. Trials I. 108.
Daylie manassand and boistand weir 1596 Dalr. II. 462/19.
Bosting the pane confirmet be the edict

4. intr. To boast, brag, vaunt. c1520-c1535 Nisbet I. 14.
Nocht to boste of faith, quhair na dedis are c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii. 109.
Thocht we boist Christianes to be 1570 Sat. P. xii. 193.
Thay start our sone To boist a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxiv. 17.
Ȝe loveris … that boist to serve with loyaltie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 648.
‘Weill’, quod Experience, ‘ȝe boist; Bot he that countis without his oist [etc.]

b. refl. To boast (oneself). 1560 Conf. Faith in 14.. Acts II. 530/2.
Quhasaeuer bostis thame selfis of the meritis of thair awin warkis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 55/35.
Quhilk our aduersaris boistit thame to hef hald