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

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About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1456-1681

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Bosum, Bosome, n. Also: bo(u)sume, bossome, boasome. [ME. bosum, bosom(e, early bosem, bosm, OE. bósum, bósm.]

1. The bosom of a person or a garment.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 52.
In his bosum ay he bare A sudare
a1400 Ib. xxxviii. 499.
Natalia … in hir bousume gat it sone
1456 Hay II. 6/33.
He … tuke out a buke of his bosum
1490 Irland Mir. I. 115/17.
All gud persounis … in the … bosum of Abrahame
c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 33.
A barell bung ay at my bosum
1513 Doug. i. xi. 47.
Sumtyme onwar hym in hir bosum held sche
1513 Ib. iv. i. 62.
The brycht teris … fillyt all hir bosum
1560 Rolland Seven Sages 250/29.
In at bosum, and sine out at ȝour sleif
1562-3 Winȝet I. 10/6.
In the bosumis of thaim mony wayis deirbelufit
a1605 Montg. Misc. P. vi. 10.
I feill a byll within my bosum beill
(b) c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. lxxxii. 12.
The bischop … Ane ballat of my bosome drew
1596 Highland P. I. 172.
The deponer … greapit the said letters in his boasome

b. In various figurative uses.1513 Doug. iii. ii. 56.
With blyth bosum the sam [grond] Sal ȝou ressaue
1542 Acts II. 415/1.
For … reductioun of thaim … to the bosum of halikirk
a1578 Pitsc. I. 128/33.
God quho … ressawis mankynd to the bossome of his marcie
1583 Edinburgh Testaments XII. 157 b.
Hir body to be bureit in the bosum of the erd
1596 Dalr. II. 471/20.
Sum he brocht hame agane to the … bosume of the true kirk
1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 86.
All chapellanries … ar inclosit within the bosome of the prowestis prowisioune
1656 Peebles B. Rec. II. 38.
The clerk [is] to put it in the bosome of thair seasings

2. The womb.a1500 Henr. III. 147/50.
Hir … madinhede God in hir bosum bracis
1513 Doug. x. Prol. 107.
Thow tuke mankynd … Inclosyt within a virginis bosum glaid
c1515 Kennedy Asloan MS II. 273.
The beriale bosome that our blis in bred
1535 Stewart 32587.
Thair … sonnis als [that] of thair bosumis thai bair
1560 Rolland Seven Sages 140/3.
For the lufe thow suld haue To me, [that] … Of my bosum as ane bab did the beir

3. A bay or gulf; a bend of a river.1513 Doug. i. iv. 10.
Within, the watir in a bosum gays
1513 Doug. vi. ii. 114.
Cochytus, with his drery bosum onrude, Flowis enveroun
1533 Bell. Livy II. 198/31.
The bosum of the seyis quhare the Venycianis duellis
1596 Dalr. I. 13/21.
Twa gret bosums ar in the sey, quhilkes we commonlie call lochis of salte water
1597 Prestwick B. Rec. 83.
Fra the sie syid sa fer as the bosum of the sie flowis & ebbis to the landis

4. A fold in a garment.1596 Dalr. I. 93/25.
Of linnine … thay maid wyd sarkis with mony bosumis

5. Attrib. with bill, chimney.1587-99 Hume 74/192.
Euen they themselves the ordor partlie spils, With bringing in of heapes of bosome bils
1681 Alford Rec. 322.
Ane inner chamber with a back and bosome chimney

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