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: 1375-1438, 1513
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Beleve, Beleif, v.2 Also p.t. (and p.p.) belewit, beleft, belefft. [ME. beleve(n, beleave(n, etc. (p.t. belevede, belefde, belefte). OE. belǽfan.]
1. intr. To remain, abide, continue. 1375 Barb. xiii. 544 (E).
With him tretyt sua the king, That he belewyt of hys duelling a1400 Legends of the Saints xxix. 208.
[He] skalyt his men here & thare … Til he belewit al hyme ane a1400 Ib. 742.
My modir belewit thare c1420 Wynt. v. 3178.
The hale barné Off Brettayne knyt thame in sawchtnyng, Bot Maximiane be-lefft kyng ?1438 Alex. ii. 5.
The fair citie … quhair Floridas the fre Beleuit with him [F. en mena]
2. tr. To leave, relinquish. 1513 Doug. x. xi. 166.
ȝon ost of men … Quham now … Reddy to myschews deth beleft haue I 1513 Ib. xiii. 164.
Onto thy parentis handis … I the beleif to be entyrit
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"Beleve v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/beleve_v_2>
