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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.

Deme, Deym(e, v.¹ Also: dem, deim(e, deem(e. [ME. deeme, deme, early demen, OE. déman. The p.t. and p.p. dempt are commonest in legal use.]

1. intr. To act as a judge; to give a judgement or legal decision; to pass sentence. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 152.
Of this warld the figure hale, Quhen he sall deme, vndo he sall c1420 Wynt. v. 3947.
To forbere inyqwyte And deme wyth lauch and lawte Ib. viii. 2753.
Thai demyd offt rycht fellownly, And knychtis slw, that ware worthy ?1438 Alex. ii. 9480.
All thing gais As God demis, purueyis and mais c1450-2 Howlat 876.
It sall be done as ȝe deme, dreid ȝe richt nocht Ib. 941.
As scho has demyt, thai haf done c1460 Thewis Wysmen 157.
Quhen euer thai deme, thai knaw na face Bot doys justice efter the cas c1475 Wall. x. 914.
The lordis all than dempt off this cace

2. tr. To pass judgement or sentence on (a person). 1375 Barb. i. 213.
For thai dempt thaim eftir thar will, Takand na kep to rycht na skill Ib. 215.
A! quhat thai dempt thaim felonly a1400 Leg. S. xv. 178.
As thai led hym to the place, Quhare to deme hym ordinit vas Ib. xxxiv. 95.
Quhen he saldeme Quyk and ded, as hym think quem 14.. Acts I. 22/2.
Of this alswele as of othir he … sall be demyt be his peris in burgh be law of burgh 1456 Hay I. 111/34.
Dredeles he has power our all erdely man to deme and juge thame

b. To adjudge, sentence, or condemn (a person) to some penalty or act. Also const. in.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 866.
He … demyt sancte Clement to dede Ib. xxxii. 352.
Thai … sal … Be demyt til hel & thiddir ga c1420 Wynt. vii. 836.
Quhen mysdoarys for thare trespas Convyct, and to dede demyd was Ib. viii. 1703.
Kyng Edward … demyd hym depryvyd to be Off all honoure and dygnyte c1475 Wall. xi. 1267.
Ane hour of space I was demed thar [in purgatory] to be 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Sok.
The serjand … sall … gar ane soytour of the courte deeme them in ane vnlaw(b) 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
We fand him dempt lauchfully in twa wnlawis to the said abbot 1456 Hay II. 44/27.
The croce … to the quhilk he was dempt throu the syn of Adam 1504 Rec. Earld. Orkney 78.
We war dempt be the lawman to cum to Corgill within the sevynt day 1553 Ib. 106.
Johne Cromate was dempt … to pay for the byrun malis 1578 Ib. 144.
Als ordenis baytht the perteis to compeir the said steine as dempt tharto 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 128 b.
Thomas Ihonstoun is dempt to quit him selff … of the stowtht of four buchtis of lyne

c. To judge (a matter); to decide judicially. 1375 Barb. iv. 328.
How mycht he trastly on hym cry, That suthfastly demys all thing? a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 294.
Quhen God sal haf mycht To deme al don in opyne sycht 1385 Red Bk. Menteith II. 261.
I made bodely fayth it ryhtwysle to deme 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 259.
[Being] lelely sworne … to deme and to determe all actionis betuene the Abbot … and William of Fentoune Ib. 260.
The playntis till ws schewit of baith the partiis, … we demit and determit as eftir followis ?1438 Alex. ii. 7406.
Thare sall worship hald court, … And deme honour euin to the richt c1420 Ratis R. 512.
Thar men sal se, throw Godis mycht, That al thing sal be demyt rycht a1500 Doug. K. Hart 680.
Eftir thy deith thy deidis mon be demit

d. To give as a decision or judgement; to assign by judicial sentence.(1) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 139*.
Beand … the ende of myne ordenans fullely demyt … of the cause before sayde 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
Quhat we and oure said consaillis determynt, dempt, & decretit thareapon c1450-2 Howlat 280.
Tharfor thai counsall the Pape to writ … To the athile Empriour … To adress to that dyet, to deme his awys 1496 Rec. Earld. Orkney 74.
A dome dempt at Kirkwall be Jhone of Cragy 1510 Misc. Spald. C. V. 395.
Becaus … Wilȝam aperit not to warrand the said lands of myn, as wes dempt 1519 Orkney & Sh. Rec. I. 61.
Ane ogang and doome dempt be me(2) 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
We ordane and demis that the said Robert sall cum [etc.] 1505 Rec. Earld. Orkney 204.
All his landis and gudis dempt cheit till ws in the kingis name 1510 Misc. Spald. C. V. 395.
And this I, and xiii of the wordeast has dempt, that the said Wilȝam and Jhone sal compear [etc.]

3. intr. To form or give a judgement or opinion; to decide.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 281.
Because thu art ȝing, Thu can nocht deme of sic thing c1420 Wynt. viii. 4286.
Chyldyr, that na kyndly skyll Had to deme betwyx gud and iwyll ?1438 Alex. ii. 4145.
Of worship men suld lelely Speke and deme c1420 Ratis R. 482.
Sa demys men be lyklynes, Quhen nayne bot God wat suthfastnes a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 86.
Quhat euer men deme or say In scornefull langage of thy brukkilnes 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 61.
Als into Venus Court full fast thay demit, Sayand [etc.] 1535 Stewart 37211.
This Kenethus than, as my author demit, For to be trew richt weill also it semit(b) a1400 Leg. S. l. 214.
For ire distroblis sa the thocht, That suthfastly deyme ma it nocht ?1438 Alex. ii. 3144.
I sall do as ȝe deim, ilk deill c1475 Wall. v. 123.
Deyme as yhe lest, ye that best can and may Ib. vii. 121.
Ȝeit I sal deyme, thocht my cunnyng be small 1513 Doug. iii. Prol. 27.
Deym as ȝhe lest, that kan not demyng weill 15.. Clar. iv. 900.
Be ȝour avow it seimis Ȝe sall not just the morne, for so men deimis 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 148.
For it is not mans iudgement sa that deims a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxlix. 14.
So will thai deyme, bayth man and laid a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) 6.
Dame, deim warilie

4. tr. To form or express an opinion regarding (a person or thing); to judge or criticize. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1132.
For Godis priue deme ma nocht ?1438 Alex. ii. 9077.
The king … swore … That he had wonnin … Mare than he couth deme or say a1500 Prestis of Peblis 527.
Him he demes, And said he was not sik a fuil as he semes c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 109.
Preysing my self, and evill my nichtbouris deming Ib. xviii. 36.
Thir folkis that vthir demis [M. deymis] a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxviii. 33.
Do quhat ȝe dow detractouris ay will deme ȝou Ib. 64. a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) 8.
He that is evil deemd, is half hanged

b. To consider, judge, form an opinion quhether, quhat, etc.; to be of opinion, to believe, that.(1) 1375 Barb. vi. 283.
Now demys, quhethir mair lovyng Suld Tedeus haf, or the king! a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 387.
I treu deme cuth nane Quhilk of thai suld erare be tane Ib. xli. 72.
His fadir send … Medicinaris … to deme quhat seknes had he c1475 Wall. vii. 23.
Than demyt he, … How thai best mycht the Scottis barownis hang c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 40.
Bot quhow is he content or nocht, Dem ȝe abowt in to ȝour thocht a1585 Maitl. Q. i. 9.
I fairlie quhy thay haue no feir To gar men deime quhat thay desyire(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 2928.
I dar nocht deme that sic menȝe … Ar sa gude weriouris and sa wicht 1438 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 301.
It wes demit in the cuntre that he the fornemmit saide [etc.] c1420 Ratis R. 1744.
It is to deme that he micht emplese Til wertu c1475 Wall. ii. 362.
The contre demyd haile at he was dede Ib. v. 139.
Inglismen dempt … at the Scottis had fochtyn amang thaim sell c1515 Asl. MS. I. 243/16.
Till vther syndry war rewardit be the said secret counsall, the quhilk men demyt wald nocht stand 15.. Clar. iii. 1302.
Ane palfray … In warld men deimit thair was none so fyne

c. To consider, regard, or set down as being of a particular kind. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 285.
Than the iugis … For a wodman demyt hym al Ib. xxxviii. 36.
Thai … demyt it bot ful hething, And wikitnes and gret foly c1420 Wynt. vi. 2324.
Les lykly thyng suth mycht be Demyd be possybylyte Ib. vii. 625.
All the land lyand by Wes hys demyd than halyly c1450-2 Howlat 199.
Gret ganeris on ground … that war demyt, but dowt, denys douchty a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 805.
Sen ye ar sa … wourthy in were, Demyt with the derrest 1572 Maitl. Q. lxii. 5.
To heir thair realme blasonit … And men thairof as doubill tratouris demit a1578 Pitsc. I. 157/27.
As sum men deime hir to haue beine