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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.

Cost, Coist, n.² Also: coste. [ME. cost (c 1300), coste, OF. coste, L. costa.]

1. A coast or shore.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 553.
The erll of Fiff and the schirreff Saw till thar cost schippes approchand a1400 Leg. S. vii. 370.
Quhat schepe that brokine ware A-pone that coste c1420 Wynt. ii. 815.
This gentyll-man … saylyd Affryk all abowt, … And by othire costis sere Ib. iv. 920. 1501 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 428.
Ane brokin schip, … the wrak of hir come in on the cost of Croudane 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 106.
The quhit fische ar gain of the cost 1513 Doug. i. vi. 47.
At quhat cost of the warld finaly Sal we arrive Ib. xi. vi. 82; etc.
We cachyt ar to syndry costis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5477.
Those that dwelland be Apone the costis of the see a1578 Pitsc. I. 229/32.
All the men and wemen that dualt neir the cost came and behald the fightting 1596 Dalr. II. 234/6.
Cheiseng the cost of Normandie, prosperouslie he landis in Deip 1610 Crim. Trials III. 104.
The saidis pirates … persewit the said schip, buirdit, reft, and variet hir away to the cost of Barbarie 1614 Highland P. III. 162.
To derect one of his schippes to the west cost(b) 1560 Seven S. 579.
Scho … at dew time to thair awin coist was brocht 1533 Boece i. ii. 35 b.
Ane Ile was on the coist of Spaneȝe … inhabit be wyld pepill 1535 Stewart 11219.
Ane grit navin of mony schip thai la Befoir the coist of Carrik and of Kyle 1560 Rolland Seven S. 580.
Thai … at dew time to thair awin coist was brocht; Als sone thay come vnto thair kyndlie coist [etc.] 1574 Conv. Burghs I. 27.
Convoying the schippis of this realme langis the coist of Ingland 1610 Crim. Trials III. 100.
Ȝe saillit towardis the French coist 1622-6 Bisset II. 252/34.
The steirismannis fie, that appertenis upoun the coist of Brytannie

b. A tract or space of land. c1450-2 Howlat 330.
Spar halkis, that spedely will compas the cost a1500 Doug. K. Hart 223.
Thus come thay keynlie carpand one the cost Id. Æn. v. viii. 72.
[He] with fury and mekle bost Gan Darhes cache and drive our all the cost

2. The side of a person or animal. c1475 Wall. ii. 64.
The grounden suerd throuch out his cost it schar Ib. v. 824; etc.
Throuch the myd cost, the gud suerd gert he ga 1513 Doug. ii. v. 18.
Grekis, hyd the horssis cost within, Patent war maid to sight Ib. x. iv. 129; etc.
In mannys form fra hys cost to hys crown 1531 Bell. Boece I. 48.
Every ox that was slane, … half ane cost, [was given] to the sercheouris of thevis; … two ribbis of the cost to the medicinar 1535 Stewart 34600.
Baith heid and hals wes hakkit all in schunder, With crag and coist, and all the bonis wnder a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii. 95.
A wylie-coit, … Quhilk did me no harme, bot held my cost werme a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxvii. 15.
Then quench this fyre, quhilk runneth ay the poste Out throu my cost 1640 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 218.
A shaddow mask'd, … Fals in the face, and hollow in the cost