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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Jeopardy, Jepardy, Jeperty, n. Also : jeopardie, -é, Jeoperdy, -é, jepardie, geperdy, jepordie; jeperté. [e.m.E. ieopardy, -perdy (1526) and late ME. jeberde (1472); variants of Juparty, Jupardy. As with Juparty, the uses are chiefly Sc.]

1. a. A daring enterprise of arms, a feat of arms; a warlike engagement, a battle, raid or skirmish. b. Venturesomeness in war, martial daring, valour, prowess.a. c1475 Wall. ix. 432.
He has aspyit Sum jeperte apon thaim for to mak Ib. xi. 9.
Off set battaillis fyve he dyscumfyt haill, But jeperte and mony strang assaill a1568 Mersar Bann. MS. 213 a/34.
On the first day, and the kepar be sle, Ane castell is not ay win be geperdys 1531 Bell. Boece I. 80.
The Romanis … swift of rink, and reddy to every kind of jeoperde Ib. 144.
Galdus assemblit ane army … and dividit the same in divers buschementis, be quhais wisdome and ithand jeoperdis the Romanis wer stoppit … fra ony forthir conques on the Scottis Id. Livy I. 1/1.
Armipotent lady Bellona serene, Goddes of wisdome and jeoperdyis of were Ib. II. 117/20.
Landis tane fra inemyis be ieoperdyis of batall suld be dividit equalie amang the pepill 1535 Stewart 9463.
That tha micht knaw thair wisdome in to weir, … Thair greit ingyne in euerie jeopardie 15.. King Berdok 4.
Thair fell in France ane jeperdie for lo [= luve] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9835.
He thocht this pure man meruellouslie Had gottin this ring at sum greit ieopardie ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) ii. 583.
To-morne … Mak we to the hoste ane ieopardy [F. envaie], For-outtin affray, aduysedly Brus xii. 373 (H).
In ieopardies is oft hapnyne Quhill for to vyne, and quhill to tyne]b. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 23.
Fergus … slew, be gret jeoperdy, the wache of Britonis Ib. 152.
As maist forsy … bestis be thair awin jeoperdyis ar oft slane, and as maist cowart … bestis saiffis thaimself for dangeir Id. Livy I. 4/2.
Of awfull batallis … The wise array, the manlie ieopardie, Ȝe may fynd here 1535 Stewart 2131.
Ane Planctius, quhilk wes ane rycht soft man, Without ingyne or jeopardie in weir

2. a. Hazard of war. b. Risk, jeopardy, peril, in general. c. Chance. c1475 Wall. v. 173.
He wist nocht weill giff thai war tayne or slayne, Or chapyt haile be ony jeperte [1570, jepardie] Ib. x. 309.
And with thaim baid in that place hundrys thre Off westland men was oysyt in jeperte 1531 Bell. Boece I. 81.
Thay ar nocht movit … to lose thair landis and liberteis but extreme jeopardie of battall Ib. II. 260.
Howbeit sindry otheris hes assailyeit sic thingis afore, with maist terribil jeopardyis, quhen thay had not sic sickernes to succeid 1560 Rolland Seven S. 525.
To put the realme furth of sic jeopardie, We wald ȝe tuke sum … ladie Ȝour nobill quene to be Ib. 9010.
Thay … sufferrit weill Lodwik to ga in peis, Howbeit oft times into greit ieopardie 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
[You] may … rather condescend to thair inordinat lust nor put the haill estait in hazard [MS. ieopardie] of ane battell a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv. 21.
Waist nocht thy gude in prodigalitie Nor put thyne honour in to jeopardie Id. Ib. xcix. 27.
Thair is mony ane that litle cairis To putt bayth saule and lyfe in jeoperdie To mak ane mekle conqueis to thair airis 1570 Leslie 122.
They that flee … may be in jepordye to be undone

3. A stratagem. = Juparty 3. 1375 Barb. x. 539 (E).
Me think ye wald blythly That men fand yow sum jeperty How ye mycht our the wallis wyn c1475 Wall. vii. 1142.
Bot ner the bryg my purpos is to be, And wyrk for thaim sum suttell jeperte