Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pais, Pase, v.¹ Also: paise, pays, paize. [Late ME. and e.m.E. payse (Morte Arth.), paise (1571), payze (1577), also ME. and e.m.E. peyse(n (Piers Plowm.), peise(n (Gower), peize (1591), pease (1583), repr. the stem-stressed form peise of OF. peser.] tr. To weigh, in various precise applications.

1. a. To measure the weight of, in or as in a balance. lit. and fig. 1456 Hay II. 77/18.
A lytill buke, the quhilk salbe as a balaunce in the quhilk thou sall pays all thy werkis in a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 463.
Pellokis paisand to pase [: brase (= brass), wase (= was)] 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 486.
Quhen the tanners paises ane of theis hydis

b. To cause (a balance) to be in equilibrium, to weigh fairly by means of (a balance). c1460 Regim. Princ. 293.
[For] Goddis luif haue E to thy ballance And paise it ewin and lat it nocht skellice

2. a. To hold (something) poised in the hand, as if to gauge its weight. 1513 Doug. v. vii. 84.
Eneas Pasys thar weght als lychtly as a fas

b. To lift or hold up. 15.. Christis Kirk 115 (M).
The wyffis come furth and vp thay paisit him [: abasit (him), preissit, raisit]

3. fig. To weigh in the mind; to deliberate upon, consider, ponder. 1513 Doug. xii. xii. 77.
Iupiter … Pasyt hes alsso The fatis diuers of thame baith two 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 308.
And willwe degestlye pais this mater [etc.] Ib. (1821) II. 304.
Baith adversite and gud chance ar paisit be me in equale balance 1622-6 Bisset I. 47/37.
All his wordis and deidis appeired as they had bene pased in iust ballance 1626 Garden Worthies 76.
Whill this lyfe thow leiv'd So prudentlie thow ponder'd it & paiz'd [: praiz'd]