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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.

Gast, Gaist, n.¹ Also: gaste, gest; ghaist. [Northern ME. gast(e, OE. gást, gǽst. Cf. Gost n.]

1. The spirit in man (and beasts): a. In the phr. to give (up) or ȝelde the ga(i)st, to die.(a) 1375 Barb. xix. 214.
As gud Cristyn the gast he gaf a1400 Leg. S. iii. 159, etc.
He … ful of gud wark ȝald the gaste c1420 Wynt. vii. 1280.
Fore sorow scho gave the gast rycht thare Ib. viii. 3365.
The Erle Thomas … yhald than the gast Till God 1513 Doug. xi. xii. 84.
Men quhilk ȝald the gast and sweltis(b) c1450-2 Howlat 463.
The gud king gaif the gaist to God for to reid a1500 Bk. Chess 1731.
For gret ioye than scho swelt and gaif the gaist a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 991.
As he wald say, Now man I gif the gaist 1535 Stewart 56939.
He bad gude nycht, and syne gaif vp the gaist 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4668.
Ane damisell scho bad … Fetche hir mother or scho ȝeildit the gaist 1591-2 Rob Stene 15.
The ram fell doun and gaif the gaist(c) a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 197.
Vith that scho swelt, & gawe the gest [: maste] Ib. xxix. 152.
I … ȝald the gest thare

b. In other contexts. (See also Haly Gast(e.) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 10/12.
The writ declarit efter the mynd and spirituale significacoun of it with the mynd of the gast c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 22.
Thy trublit gaist sall neir moir be degest, … Quhill that [etc.]

2. A disembodied spirit; a ghost. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 7.
Lyk to ane man that with a gaist wes marrit Ib. lxxv. 19.
As ane gaist I glour and grane 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 274.
Nowder ald gaistis nor spretis ded of lait Ib. iv. ix. 35.
Scho can mak … on the nycht the ded gastis assemmyll 1528 Lynd. Dreme 16.
Sumtyme lyke ane feind … , And sumtyme lyke the greislie gaist of Gye 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6406.
It will cum to, As to the king that saw the gaist 1581 Bann. Memor. 337.
Judge ȝe how ghaist and gyre carlingis comes in amonges thame a1585 Polwart Flyt. 681 (T).
Leve boigillis, brouneis, gyr carlingis, & ghaistis 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii. 17.
The next [sort] being … bogils or gaistes, … wandring in a vagrant estate about graues and alrish deserts

b. A living person compared to a ghost. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 168.
I coniure thé, thow hungert heland gaist Id. Tua Mar. W. 100.
Quhen that glourand gaist grippis me about a1605 Montg. Flyt. 285 (T).
How this ghaist haid bene gottin, to ges they begane