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 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Transcend, v. Also: transend. [ME and e.m.E. transcend (Rolle), transend (a1529), OF transcender, L. transcendere.]

1. tr. To surpass, exceed in excellence, etc. 1490 Irland Mir. III 111/4.
The spiritual lif of the saule … transcendis and excedis the natural wit and knawlage of man c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 33.
The assise fand … Vestais estait, and hir conuersatioun The mony gre did Dame Venus transcend c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6161.
The heuinlye brycht colowris … tyll discryue, transcendith mannis ingyne a1568 Scott xiv 14.
In lykwayis dois hir bewty vndegraid Transcend all vthiris c1590 J. Stewart 203 § 12.
[That the city is Paradise] dois appeir Be lustie luisteur of the vallis cleir, Transending far my foibill dull ingyn

2. lit. and fig. To go outside or over (a boundary); to go beyond (a limit). Also absol. b. intr. To rise abone a limit. 1531 Bell. Boece I 251.
Thay wer commandit to big ane heich dike … to devide thaim fra Britonis and gif ony Pichtis transcendit this dike [etc.] 1561 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 199.
In cais the boundis of the principale letter of mark be transcendit 1571 Reg. Morton I 71.
To remane … within the place of Dury … and on na wayis to transcend the boundis thairof 1576 Orkney Oppress. 53.
Quhilk plowkis is the just messor of the can that the ulie suld be fild to, and not transcend the samyn 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 523.
The subjectis of ayther realme transcending the boundis of thair dewitieabsol. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 301.
Rycht so am I to Virgillis text ybund … For thocht I wald transcend and go besyde, Hys wark remanys … And thus I am constrenytb. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 604.
Preissand vp with … arrogance, Vnto the heicht euer thay did pretend. Bot quhen sic folk abone thair stait transcend Thir sisteris thre … Did cut the threid