A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1438, 1490, 1552-1578
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Assistance, -ence, n. Also: assistans. [e.m.E. assistance, ME. assist-, assystence, F. assistance, med. L. assistentia.]
1. Assistance, aid, help.(a) 1438 Lennox Mun. 69 (that aythyr off thaim sall be with othyr in assistans). 1558-66 Knox II. 55 (to assure him of his assistance). c1575 Balfour Pract. 574 (assistance of theives and tratouris).(b) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 74/15 (be my counsall, support, or assistence). 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive (be the assistence of Constantine). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 13/6 (be the bauld assistence of thy nobilis). 1565 Misc. Wodr. Soc. 288 (we crave the assistence of your prayers).
2. coll. A body of supporters.c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5815 (Dathan and Abyrone, With thare assistance, mony one). a1578 Pitsc. II. 173/9 (the haill kirk convenit them selffis witht thair assistance).
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"Assistance n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/assistance>
