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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Surmount, -mont, v. Also: surmounte, -monte, -munt, -mint, (summount), sormont, surmontyn, -tine, suremonting. [ME and e.m.E. surmount (Chaucer), surmonte (Gower), sormounte (1553), OF surmunter, sormonter, surmonter (c1119, mid-12th c. and early 14th c. in Larousse).]

1. tr. a. To excel, surpass (in quality or level of attainment). Also absol. b. To exceed, be greater than (in amount or magnitude). Also in fig. context. c. To be beyond the capacity of, to transcend.a. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 260.
[Chaucer] Surmounting eviry tong terrestriall, Alls fer as Mayes morow dois mydnycht c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxvii 11.
[Queen Margaret] Lodsteir and lamp of eivry lustines, Of port surmounting Pollexen of Troy 1513 Doug. i Prol. 16.
[Virgil] In every volume quhilk thé lyst do wryte, Surmontyng fer all other maner endyte c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6156.
Thay sall feill sic ane smell Surmountyng far the fleure of erthly flowris 1562-3 Winȝet II 25/23.
Pape Steuin … estemand … gif he micht ourcum safer al the rest be deuotioun of fayth, safer as he surmontit the rest be auctoritie of his place c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 219a/9.
Hir cristall ene all forgit with delyt; Surmonting topatioun annamalit celicall 1558-66 Knox II 355.
The Quenis army, boyth in nomber and manhead, far surmounted his 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 23.
Scho matchit, or rather far surmountit all credite of the constancie of ony in former tymes a1578 Pitsc. I 135/27.
For our factioun far surmunttis the kingis assistance baitht in the nobilietie and wosdomeabsol. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xii 39.
With dolour Damone did dekay For Mentas luif, and so he deis … My luif surmunttes in ma degreis, Howbeid that dayth distroyit his dayisb. 1558-66 Knox II 355 (see a above). 1557 Knox IV 267.
From the societie and ordinances whairof [sc. of the Church] … aught na man to separat himself, notwithstanding that in the same the dornel and cokill apeir to surmount the wheit and gud seid 1559–60 Knox VI 110.
The soum which he was to receave from the handis of a banqueur surmounted xii^c [1200] frankis 1577–8 Reg. Privy C. II 677.
His haill wageis, far surmountand the said … money a1578 Pitsc. I 25/13.
And swa he nocht onlie inbracit the heill forme and maner of his fatheris conditionis bot als surmonted his pryd and hicht aboue the expecktatioun of ony man 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 78.
Besyde the foirnamit greit heirschippis, far surmonting the sowmes expressit 1585 Acts III 402/1.
Diuers debtis that he contractit for his graceis effaires … surmunting the sowme of ten thowsand pund 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV 543.
Quhilk soume of v li. vi s. viii d. surmontis and exceidis the ordour [sc. of taxation] sett doun within the said baronie 1598 Dickson & Edmond Ann. Sc. Printing 356.
I ressauit sum paper and sum small thingis … out of his buith to ane compt; bot my compt surmontis it far 1606 Acts IV 286/1.
The saidis decreittis … may bring … danger of the ȝeirlie violent proffeittis vpoun the persones, … thairby surmounting often tymes thair haill valient(b) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 440/110.
Thair ryches as thair selffis dois count King Cresus thresouris may summountc. a1568 Bann. MS 222b/7.
Hir to discrif surmontis my wittis fyfe

2. To overcome, get the better of. a1561 Norvell Meroure 11b.
Sinne, note well & marke how that my grace Shall far surmont thy filthe in euery place a1586 Lindsay MS 76b.
Quha that will overcum & surmont accidie him behuffit that in his hart he haue strenth

3. To rise above, to go or be higher than. Chiefly fig. or in fig. context. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 87.
Ȝonder thou seis the hiest stage and gree … And efter thame down in the next[e] stage … And othir eke … surmounting thaire degree c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 3/6.
The cleir sone, quhome no clud devouris, Surminting Phebus in the est c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxvi 12.
O sterne that blyndis Phebus bemys bricht, … Above the speir of Saturne hie on hicht, Surmunting all the angelis ordouris nyne 1528 Lynd. Dreme 772.
Als, so hie in situatioun, Surmountyng the myd regioun of the air … Four fludis 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 137.
The sound of birdis surmontit all the skyis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1689.
One strang biggyng we maye beilde … Itt sall surmonte the planetis sewin, That we frome Gode may wyn the hewin a1568 Scott xv 26.
My voice surmontis the sapheir cludis hie 1657 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 165.
By process of tyme by multipleing burialls abuve others they will be so hie that the samen will surmount the walls(b) 1513 Doug. xii xii 18.
Eneas semyt to surmontyn [Sm. surmontine, Ruddim. suremonting] in hyghtis The remanent of all the mekill rowt As thir montanys excedis the knollys abowt

4. intr., in fig. context: a. To climb to a higher, or more exalted, position. b. To climb above (ower) (another).a. a1568 Bann. MS 210b/23.
Surmount no farder than your cours can do 1577 A. Hay Nobility 18.
They [sc. the Oliphants] do not surmounte in their alliaunces, but content with their worshipfull neighbours c1590 Fowler I 277/74.
Thy pittie and thy grace … Abounding most whair sin surmounts deaths plagues for to impeacheb. c1590 Fowler I 62/114.
First I will recount How lowe so leading ws in linkis did so ower ws surmount

5. To amount or add up to (a certain figure or sum). Also (once) without to.(1) 1572 Treas. Acc. XII 392.
The superexpensis surmontis to the sowme of thre scoir ane thousand threttie twa pund seven pennyis obolus quadrans 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 238.
His haill men of wearre surmontis to vj^c futemen and j^c horsmen 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 88.
His haill geir, surmounting to mair nor thrie thowsand lib. a1600 Dundee Shipping P. 67.
Was bocht mell and elle and canwes that sormontit to 26 lib. 10 s. a1600 Dundee Shipping P. 67.
Awcht bolts sormontis to 28 dokatis 8 r(2) 1588 Exch. R. XXI 366.
For the expensis and furnisching of Senyeour Du Barras table … surmounting the said sowme of £21,000