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 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Positive, adj. Also: -ife, possitive, poesative. [ME and e.m.E. positive (Cursor M.), -ityue, -atyve, e.m.E. also possitive (1598), formally or explicitly laid down (Cursor M.), of degree of comparison in grammar, positive (1447), having relation only to matters of fact (1594), etc., also as noun (1530), F. positif (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), L. positīvus f. positus p.p. of pōnere to place.]

1. Of law or laws: Formally and explicitly laid down or enacted by man, as opposed to that which proceeds from divine ordinance or the natural order of things. c1515 Asl. MS. I 329/10.
Lawis, cannoun, ciuile & positiue, ar bot pendiklis apon Cristis law of grace a1538 Abell 115 a.
Quhat euir he doze aganis the law positife and it be aganis the comown weill of halie kirk it is nocht acceptabill before God c1575 Balfour Pract. 1.
The natural law is that … quhilk nature hes … ingenerat in all leiving creaturis; the law of God is that quhilk is … declarit in His maist halie … word; the law positive is this quhilk is made be man allanerlie Ib. 553.
Be the positive law and richt sum eschetis … fallis and pertenis to the king, viz. all … thingis … not pertenand to ony persoun, ar the king's eschete 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV 534.
The auld evidentis, townis buikis, registeris thairof and buikis of the new and auld constitutionis concerning the positive lawis and actis maid be thair [the council's] predicessouris 1600 Colville Palinode 13.
The positiue lawes made … against Edward Duke of Yorke did not impeshe him nor his race from the crowne

2. In grammar: Positive (degree of comparison). 1531 Vaus 2.
The positiue gre, the comparatiue gre and the superlatiue gre 1549 Compl. 160/5.
For that cause the gramariaris can fynd na greis of comparaison in ȝour gudnes, for that terme, bettir, is of the comparatyue gree, and that terme gude, is of the positiue gree

3. Explicitly stated, express; free from reservation, definite, precise, absolute. 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 285.
He giveing James M'Niven premonitioun to goe on in building the gaivell … conforme to the judges decreitt … wold not give him a positive answer thairin but replyet he wald answer the judges thairanent and not him 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 165.
The indytment is opponed being positive as to the pannel's guiltiness 1681 Red Bk. Menteith II 198.
I desire your lordship's answer to these pertecuelores, and that it may be poesatiue 1689 Address University St. Andrews to King 18.
His characters of a king, of a tyrant, are so chimerical and imaginarie, and with all, so nyce and possitive, that according to his descriptions, there were never king or tyrant in the world

4. Dealing with assured facts, not speculative or controversial. 1677 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 319.
Having … undergone a considerable tryall both in positive and polemick divinitie