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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fors, Forse, n. [ME. fors (1303), var. of Force n.]

1. Strength exerted in attack or defence; strong or violent action; compulsion. 1375 Barb. xvii. 394.
The defendouris … can thame payne Till put thair fais fors agane 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
Nouther throw dowte na forse led, … bot of owr cler and fre wyll c1420 Wynt. vi. 2102.
He wald thame helpe in all thare rycht Wyth gret suppowale, fors, and mycht 1456 Hay I. 7/36.
He … gert thame throu fors and maistry anourne that ydole, as thair God c1475 Wall. iv. 437.
All fors in wer do nocht but gouernance 1513 Doug. ii. i. 66.
Quhou euer it be, I dreid the Grekis fors 1549 Compl. 14/34.
Tua armeis … fechtand be fellone forse

b. In prepositional phrases, be, of, on, or with fors.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii. 30.
He … slewe hym syne wyth fors in fycht 1456 Hay I. 156/14.
Suppos thai be be fors haldin fra his jurisdictioun a1500 Seven S. 946.
In to that hous thai come with fors 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 85.
Wyde quhar with fors so Eolus schowtis schill 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 144.
To xiiij warkmen to rais the haill twa bund pannallis of the said hous be fors(2) a1400 Leg. S. V. 367.
Venis thu thi kirtil ma Ger me of fors in thi goddis trev? c1420 Wynt. v. 4976.
He … wan off fors the towne off Rome 1442 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 307.
That na man … entermet wyth the castele … of Dalketh … of fors or of dede a1500 Lanc. 2701.
Sir Gawan thar reskewit he of fors, Magre his fois 1572 Inverness B. Rec. I. 214.
Quhilk oxe … brak his crag … in the calling of ane wther yok of oxin on his bak of forse(3) c1475 Wall. i. 9.
Euir on fors, and contrar haile thair will c1515 Asl. MS. I. 189/24.
The Brettanis that thai dantit and wan on fors 1513 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
That ye … mak thay suspectit persouns be on forse put in sure fermance

c. Const. of with armes, ficht, hand, etc. 1375 Barb. ii. 429.
That war sa few that thai na mycht Endur the fors mar off the fycht Ib. x. 784.
He fled neuir throu fors of ficht c1420 Wynt. v. 4999.
He wan mare prowes … Wyth prayerys … Than he dyde wyth fors off fycht Ib. vi. 551.
Mony off thame wyth fors off hand Owt he pwt than off Scotland 1456 Hay I. 162/13.
All that thai may … get be fors of armes in opyn were 1513 Doug. ii. x. 206.
Gif thou trastis … Ony help be fors of armys

2. Strength as a physical attribute. 1375 Barb. iv. 132.
The fyre our all the castell spred, Thar mycht no fors of men it red c1420 Wynt. vi. 262.
He leryd hys sonnys to ryd on hors, And armyd offt till oys thare fors Ib. ix. 1243.
Be his awyne agill fors, Agayne he lap apon his hors 1456 Hay II. 57/23.
Forse that suld be his pillare of worschip till hald him ferme a1500 Henr. Orph. 177.
O Jupiter … Thow gif me fors that I nocht fant nor fall c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 74/5.
Nocht lufand God … with all my hert, my fors, and power 1549 Compl. 4/9.
The grite forse of the oriental pepil c 1570 Sat. P. x. 81.
Of strang Sampsone he had also the fors a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1213.
Bot ȝit his battill will be blate, Gif he our fors refusetransf. 1456 Hay II. 64/17.
The vertues … of fayth, … and nobillnes of fors of curage

b. Strength in action; bodily exertion. c1475 Wall. iv. 239.
Be fors off handis [he] it raist out off the stent 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 102.
Streke aris atanys with all the fors ȝe may

3. Intensity of action or agency; violence of effect or motion; impetus. c1420 Wynt. i. 403.
Ranys … Fowrty dayis wytht forsys fell Schot out thare schowrys Ib. iv. 1634. 1456 Hay I. 8/31.
The frost … fresis in the aire be fors of cald c1500 Fyve Bestis 249.
At ane stone he styntit with sic fors That to the erd ȝeid baith man & hors 1513 Doug. i. viii. 83.
We ar … drevyn to land By fors of storm 15.. Clar. i. 51.
Abake from uther they stakirit with sic forse, Quhill at the grund baith lay man and horse

4. Validity (of an obligation, decree, etc.). 1399 Holyrood Chart. 113.
The defesance … sall be of na valow na bere forse bot be qwit of it selfe 1463 Wemyss Chart. 83.
That this my obligacione, … beir in the selff the fors, the fourme and the effek [etc.] 1495 Douglas Chart. 151.
The sell of Jhone of Symonton … haffand the fek and fors of hyr awne propir sell 1518 Sutherland Chart. 69.
This gift and donatry … til be in als gret fors, strynth and effect as ony 1533 Bell. Livy I. 9/13.
Bot ȝit, in quhatsumeuir way thir and sic opiniouns are considerit or belevit, we hald thame of litil fors

5. The mast fors, the greatest part, (for) the most part. 1375 Barb. viii. 11.
The men mast fors com till his pes 1456 Hay I. 217/8.
The maist fors of all the out merchis of the realmes of Spayne c1420 Wynt. v. 3186 (W).
For that caus ay in till strif He wes the maist fors of his lif

6. Of or on fors, necessarily. (Cf. 1 b.)(1) a1400 Leg. S. v. 497.
Ȝet mon of fors he cum done To the law ȝerd c1420 Wynt. v. 509.
Off fors he suld pay at he awcht c1475 Wall. vii. 765.
The … hors, off fors, behuffyt for to faill a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 53.
On neid thow man be fals of forse(2) c1420 Wynt. i. 1036.
As behuwys apon fors [C. on fors], Fra tha capylis sudanly The kynd ethchapys c1460 Thewis Gud Women 263.
One fors thus mone thai fulys bee a1500 Bk. Chess 579.
And so on fors this princis will was done c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 95.
Sen he has all my brether tane, … On forse I man his nyxt pray be 1513 Doug. iii. vii. 44.
Terys brysting furth on fors

b. Necessity; necessary. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 201.
Quhilk war nocht fors thai wald nocht dud 1533 Bell. Livy I. 226/14.
Fors was … ane thing to think and ane vthir thing to do 1549 Compl. 123/31.
It is fors to me … to drynk vattir

7. Regard, account. Usu. in phr. to mak, or gif, na fors. 1375 Barb. v. 85.
For veriour na fors suld ma, Quhethir he mycht ourcum his fa Throu strynth, or throu sutelte a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 152.
Sume of lyfinge made na forse c1460 Thewis Wysmen 266.
Thai gyf na fors quhen euer thai dee 1566 Lauder Off. Kings 316.
Thocht thay ryde on mulis or hors, Itt is bot small regarde or fors a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 47.
Bot now the nobillis takis na fors And cairis nocht for ryddin hors