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

Kingdom, n. Also: kyng- and -dom(m)e. [ME. king(a 1300), kyngdom, etc., OE. (uncommon) cyningdóm beside the more common cynedóm (see Kindome).Originally much less common than Kinrik n. q.v.]

1. The sovereignty of a king over his realm; kingship. ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) ii. 228.
The worst had citie or kingdome of land a1500 Henr. III. 130/9 (M).
Thy kyngdome and thi grit impyre … Sall not indure 1531 Bell. Boece I. 50.
Thay concludit … to degraid him of his crown and kingdome Id. Livy I. 21/16.
Avarice and desire of kingdome a1538 Abell 12 a.
Trowand that the prophece wes compleit in kingdome of barnis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
[Men] dar aspyre to the hieast estait of kingdome 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 61/8.
At youre first entrie to youre kingdome

2. A country or a nation subject to a king; a realm. Also fig. c1420 Wynt. viii. 830.
Wndyr the sown is na kyngdome, Than is Scotland, in mare fredome c1515 Asl. MS. I. 318/30.
In this tyme was devydit the kingdomes of Israele 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4076.
Ane kingdome thow wald quell 1568 Lyndesay Pref.
How thay suld best sustene thair kingdome 1596 Dalr. I. 67/2.
Nocht only to gret kingdomes and peples, but lykwyse to euerie citie and toune 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 72/11.
The haill subiectis of oure cuntrey be the auncient … policie of oure kingdome are deuydit in three estaites 1617 Acts IV. 557/1.
We the cordoneris & handleris … of ane gryit pairt of the ledder maid within this kingdome 1673 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 141.
The lawes of the kingdomefig. 1567 Sat. P. iv. 163.
My kingdome [was] cair

b. Kingdome of Ivetot, a petty kingdom.After the F. proverbial expressions roi and royaume d'Yvetot, a town and district of Normandy the lords of which enjoyed the title of king from the 14th to the 16th c. 1669 Jus Populi 87.
To haue all the parishes of the land cantonized into so many free republicks, or little kingdomes of Ivetot

c. Kingdom of Fife. 1678 Ess. Inscr. Macduff's Crosse 16.
Whence belike we have that common phrase, the Kingdom of Fife (an epithet given to no other shire)

3. transf. and fig. The sovereignty, dominion or realm of God or Christ, or of Satan.(1) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1377.
O gloryus kingdom 1533 Gau (Title).
The richt vay to the kingdome of heuine Id. 97/11.
Quhou sal ve … cum hayme to thé in our faders kingdome? 1558-66 Knox II. 102.
[Christ] sittis at the rycht hand of the father inaugurat in his kingdome 1567 G. Ball. 4.
Thy kingdome cum 1581 Burne Disput. 16 b.
Sen na inquination can enter in the kingdome of heauin Ib. 122 b.
Hou that the kingdome of Christ … hes incresced 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 123/5.
The fornicatoure sall not inherite the kingdome of heauen(2) 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 144.
That the kingdome of Sathane may be owerthrawine