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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scot, n. Also: Scott(e, Scoit. [ME and e.m.E. scottes pl. (c1205), OE scot, pl. scottas, late L. scottus. Med. L. scotus is from a late L. scōtus.]There is possible ambiguity between the possess. pl. of Scot and Scottis adj.When Scottish history is treated as a continuum from a prehistoric period, as in some quots. under 1 below, the distinction between 1 and 2 may be blurred or ignored.

1. A member of the Scottish nation, or of a Scottish army; in pl., freq., the Scottish people, or the Scottish army, collectively.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xl 1127.
Is nocht mycht ples me mare Than a Scot [that] I mycht se Ib. 1222. c1450-2 Howlat 388 (A).
It synkis sone in all part Of a trewe Scottis hart c1475 Wall. i 215.
Thow Scot, abyde; Quha dewill thé grathis in so gay a gyde? Ane Ersche mantill it war thi kynd to wer Ib. 383.
And said sone; ‘Scot, Martyns fysche we wald hawe’ Ib. vi 149.
Quhat suld a Scot do with sa fair a knyff? a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 483.
That nevir nane sic ane be callit a Scot 1535 Stewart 57469.
Tha had no mes that wes meit for ane Scot 1562-3 Winȝet I 97/7.
The hert of ane trew Scot [MS Scotte] a1585 Maitl. Q. 190/8.
Saying avoyde thé fals dissaitfull Scotpl. (1) c1420 Wynt. viii 2600.
The Scottis in to gud aray Togyddyr knyt [thaim] apertly c1475 Wall. iv 556.
Ynglis archari … Amang the Scottis bykkerit with all thair mycht Ib. 691.
The secunde nycht the Scottis couth thaim draw Rycht priwaly agayne to Schortwod schaw; Tuk wp thair gud … Cleithing and stuff Ib. vii 575.
The hardy Scottis rycht awfully thaim abaid Ib. x 845, etc.
Ȝon glakyt Scottis can ws nocht wndyrstand; Fulys thai ar, is new cummyn off the land 1531 Bell. Boece II 455.
The Scottis … come to irrecoverabill dissolatioun, for … come sa grevous a pest in Scotland that [etc.] 1535 Stewart 51246.
The Scottis passit till ane vther strenth Neirhand c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 336.
The Scottis ar haldin hardie men a1578 Pitsc. I 340/15.
The said Inglischemen sould schute aganis thame ether at … reveris or at buttis as the Scottis pleissit a1578 Pitsc. (1814) I xxiii.
The Scottis … in the southerne pairt … leive in guid civilitie … The Reidschankis or wyld Scottis … be cloathed with ane mantle, with ane schirt fachioned after the Irisch maner, going bair legged to the knie … All speik Irisch 1596 Dalr. I 85/22.
Bot the rest of the Scottis … vse thair alde Irishe toung Ib. II 180/32.
He feirit … the Scotis walde helpe France, quhom Ingland … was now to invade 1607 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 36.
Quhat liberties … the Scottis hes abone the Inglis or the Inglis abone the Scottis in the Kingdom of France(2) c1475 Wall. i 274.
A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than c1515 Asl. MS I 185/3, 18.
Heir begynnis the Scottis Originale … The nacioun of Scottis begouth in the tyme of Moyses … ; [after] Scota [the daughter of the King of Egypt] we war callit Scottis c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 272.
Maister Talbart … Of Scottis & Frenche quhilk spak disdane a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 29/64.
Scottis and Frenche now leif in vnitie Id. Maitl. Q. 52/65.
England is glaid quhen it is tauld Of Scottis the divisioun 1596 Dalr. I 266/20.
The Scotis Clostiris, in quhilkes … Scotis, ȝe in this age, haue beine abbatis Ib. II 145 marg.
Baith drau to Floudoun hil, Inglis and Scotis 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 428.
Mr. William Robertson, factor here for the Polonian Scotts — 1397 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 34.
Robert … Kyng of Scottys c1515 Asl. MS I 193/28.
The quhilk the worthy kingis of Scottis brukit on richtuis titill mony ȝeris before or Inglis or Brettonis come in that ile 1509 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 47.
James … King of Scottis a1538 Abell 1b.
Quhen thare is mention of … the king of Scottis I sall put Scottis king 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 125/1.
Frances and Marie, be the grace of God King and Quene of Scottis 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 115.
Certane French sonettis writtin be the Quene of Scottis of Bothwel(b) 1473 Red Bk. Menteith II 300.
King of Scoitis(3) c1515 Asl. MS I 193/6.
And sa remanis the ile allanerlie occupijt with ws Scottis in Scotland and Normandis in Yngland Ib. 193/16.
We may say … Thar was neuer land … nor nacioun so fre bygane of all the warld … as we Scottis in Scotland a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 31/40.
The thing To ȝow Scottis that is maist precious Id. Maitl Q. 23/2.
Eternall God tak away thy scurge From ws Scottis

2. In specific references to the Gaelic-speaking people who began to settle in the west of Scotland from the 6th century.Only in chronicles and histories. Also, the ald (old) Scottis. 11… Liber Scon 5.
[Malcolmus Rex Scotorum … clericis et laicis Francis et Anglis Scotis et Galwalensibus 11… Reg. Dunferm. 8.
David rex Scottorum … omnibus probis hominibus tocius terre sue Francis Anglicis et Scottis salutem 12… Reg. St. A. 42.
Gilberto Scoto 14.. Acts I 663 (red) heading.]
Leges inter Brettos et Scotossing. 1296 Rot. Sc. 28/2.
Maria uxor Duncani le Scot(2) 1533 Boece 319b.
Baldrede, ane Scott native, doctor to Pichtis Ib. 377b.
Gif ony Scott passit Forth and reparit in regions of Inglis or Britouns, it suld be dede 1535 Stewart 6297.
Hir barnis quhilk war bayth Brit and Scott Ib. 34146, etc.
For that lak he had tone, That neuir Scot intill all Albione … be left levand — a1688 Wallace Orkney 147.
The name Scot at first was only proper to some tribes of those people who called themselves Albanichpl. c1420 Wynt. ii 770.
This lady callyd Scota All thir Scottis ar cummyn fra Ib. 868.
The Scottis cummyn were … in Yrland c1515 Asl. MS I 215/3.
It is to wit that the Scottis regnit befor the Pictis Ib. 245/21.
Mitelius king of the said Scottis send his sonnis … fra Brigans to Irland and thai tuk it 1531 Bell. Boece I 171.
The Scottis and Pichtis, be innative ferocite, began to put thair ennimes abak 1533 Boece 41.
To halking and hunting Scottis war gevin … vsing bow and scheif, etc. Ib. 55.
That to that place … baith Insularris and Albiane Scottis mare eselie mycht convene 1535 Stewart 451.
All his [sc. Gathelus'] folk, for mair affinitie, callit thame Scottis all of ane clan to be, Efter Scota a1538 Abell 2*b.
Andro apostil defendit the Scottis & Pychtis 1596 Dalr. I 80/24.
Quhen the Scottis cam in the Iles of Albion first, quhilkes we cal Hebrides now Ib. 82/7.
In alde tymes thrie peples onlie war in Britannie, the Britanis, the Scotis, and the Peychtis Ib. 96/24.
The ald Scottis, quhais futstepis thay ȝit follow in the hilandes of Scotland 1656 T. Tucker Report upon the Settlement of the Revenues of Excise and Customs in Scotland (Bann. C., 1825) 37.]
[Places mangled with many arms of the Westerne Sea. … planted with the ancient Scotts or wilde Irish whose garbe and language they doe still retayne amongst them 1682 Irvine Nomenclatura 214.
Scoti prisci, the old Scots, which are meant by our authors to be our Highlanders and islemen

3. a. As a place-name element.In the instances given below, ? only in sense 2 above.Scotiswath, the Solway firth. Scottis dyke, ‘an earthwork joining the rivers Esk and Sark’ (SND, s.v. Scots adj. 1 Combs. (12)). 11… Reg. Dunferm. 23.
Sciatis me dedisse … capita piscium qui dicuntur Crespeis preter linguam qui in meo dominio ex illa parte Scotwater applicuerint ?12… Reg. St. A. 285.
Cum communi pastura de Scottistun 1361 Reg. Episc. Morav. 305.
Viam que dicitur Scatisgat a1384 Fordun ii ii.
Fluvium Esk, quod dicitur Scotiswath, sive Sulwath 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 245.
Scottistown 1458 Liber Aberbr. II 104.
The Scotisgait Ib. 104.
The Scottismyll 1491 Reg. Great S. 426/2.
Le Scottismyln 1495 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 402.
Scottispule 1609 Acts IV 443/2.
The landis of … Mortoun bounding with Scottis dyke marcheand alsweill with the watter of Ask

b. As a surname. See Black Surnames s.v. Scott.