A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1420, 1475-1591
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Deme, Deym(e, n. Also: dem, deame. [Irreg. variant of Dame n.]
1. A dame, lady. Usu. as a form of address.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx. 147.
‘Gud deme,’ sad he, ‘thu can dot’ c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 330.
‘Fayr deyme,’ he said, ‘go get sum meit for me’ c1475 Ib. ix. 1317.
Deym, he sall weill lowsyt be Be none to morn a1540 Freiris Berw. 72.
Cum hiddir, deme, and sett ȝow down me bye a1540 Ib. 255.
How sa, fair deme?(2) a1540 Freiris Berw. 324.
That I wald preve glaidly for ȝour saik, And for ȝour demys a1540 Ib. 428.
Vnto our deme it wes bot littill pleis
2. Dame, as a title prefixed to the name of a lady.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 65.
He saw a cors to bere mad bone, … That hatine wes deme Drusiane 1489 Acts Lords Auditors 140/1.
Confermatioun of dem' Cristian Crechtoun of the landis of Achanlech 1490 Acts Lords of Council 156/2.
Dem' Ionet Stewart the spous of Adam Wallace 1511 Reg. Privy S. I. 346/1.
Deme Margaret Swyntoun, priores of Elcho c 1550 Douglas Chart. 244.
Elesabet … enterit as heyr to Deme Elesabet Meluill … hir gudem 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 176.
Oure louit oratrice, deme Cristeane Ballenden pryoress of the Senys 1573 Protocol Book of A. Lawson 24.
Deme Margaret Dowglas, countes of Levenax(b) 1530 Master of Works Accounts I. 25 b.
Bran to Patrik Layng, baxstar … Granis to deyme Layng 1554 Carte Northberwic 68.
Ane devoit and religiows lady, deym Isobell Howme 1554 Ib. 69.
The saidis deym Margret … becam … debitor for the saidis thretty pundis(c)1584 Acts III. 336/1.
Deame Agnes Drummond1591 Digest Justiciary Proc. O. 23.
Deame Ionet Murray, Ladie Torpiching
b. Applied to personifications or goddesses.a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 315.
The teimpil & the idolis all, And of deme Dyane the fygure a1400 Ib. xxxiii. 169.
Deme Nature … cuth nocht amend in hyre fygure c1420 Ratis Raving 606.
The ȝongest sister of thai thre … is dem Cheryte the meik c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 136.
Quhill deym Natur tuk off ilk byrd … A fayr fethyr c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxv. 11.
Me thocht Deme Fortoun with ane fremmit cheir Stude me beforne
3. (One's) mother.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxix. 760.
My bruthyr, my deme & me c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 146.
Tharoff … thi deme maid litill cost c1475 Ib. 154.
Thi deme has beyne japyt or thow was born 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 699.
He [that] quhylum was borne pure of his deme a1500 Henr. Fab. 215 (B).
I keip the ryt and custome of my deme 1558-66 Knox II. 319.
We call hir nott a hoore, (albeit hir deame heard more than we will wrytt)c1590 Fowler I. 269/xxiv. 13.
Thank your deame who in devyne degrie [etc.]
