Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Clep(e, Cleip, v. [ME. clepe, OE. cleopian, clipian. See also Clip v.² In Sc. chiefly in verse, after Eng.]

1. tr. To call, name.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 413.
To the gode clepeth Appolyne a1500 Henr. Orph. iii.
Proserpyne … Quhilk clepit is the goddes infernall c1475 Wall. vii. 397.
Wallace a lord he may be clepyt weyll a1500 Lanc. 1686.
Whar thow gar fet and clep one euery sid … Thi dukis [etc.] a1500 Quare Jel. 299.
This may be clept a wrech 1513 Doug. i. v. 108.
As a god men sal him clepe and call Ib. ii. viii. 31; etc.
A litil ȝet, clepit a postern 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xii.
This othir wenche, that clepit is Delite c1550 Rolland C. Venus Prol. 12.
The thrid [complexion] clepit is colerike suithlie(b) 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 33.
Strang fortitud, quhilk hardyment cleip we c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 92.
The first [Muse] Clio is cleipit sickerlie 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 435.
Sho agane … Hir knicht him cleipis Ib. 572.
A spirituall man … Cleipit I am

2. To call out to, to address; to call up. 1513 Doug. ii. v. 57.
I first … Rycht reuerently begouth to clepe [L. compellare] this man Ib. xiii. Prol. 175.
The hynys wife clepis vp Katheryn and Gill

b. (With call.) To accuse or denounce. (Cf. Clepe n.) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Clep.
Quhen the persewer did clep, and call, the defender with wouth, wrang, and vnlaw, in harming and skaithing of him of sik ane thing

3. intr. (With call or cry.) To cry out, call on. 1513 Doug. iii. v. 41.
Oft wald sche cleip and call, … Apon the saulis that wnbodeit war Ib. xiii. iv. 95. Ib. vii. vi. 134.
Oft … wald scho clepe and cry, Owt harro!