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.
Devis(e, Device, n.1 Also: devys(e, -vyis(e, -vyisse; dewis(e, -wisse, -wys, -wyise; devyce, -wyce, -wice; divis, -vice. [ME. devis (c 1290), devise, -vys(e, -vice, etc., OF. devis m. and devise f.]
1. With possessive pronouns (or of): One's plan or design, planning, designing, intention or project. To do (one's) devise, to act as suggested by another.a1400 Leg. S. vi. 209.
The kinge, that hard his dewice, & persavit that he ves vyise [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 540.
At the counselle of the prest Cressys And his provisioune and devyse [v.r. dewyse] c1475 Wall. x. 473.
The Bruce askyt; ‘Will thow do my dewys?’ a1500 Gol. & G. 329.
Gif ȝone douchty in deid wil do your deuise Ib. 1095. 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 367.
To the maister masone of Lithquho, to ride to Streuelin for to gif his devis to the werk 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 224/1.
That nane … tak apon hand todo onything contrare this our promitt, devis and ordinance in tyme cumyng 1533 Boece ii. iii. 60 b.
His devise fra the king mycht nocht be hid 1562-3 Winȝet II. 77/3.
To geue [them] a bauldnes … to statute sum thing of thair deuyse 1567 G. Ball. 94.
The counsellis of the wickit and deuyse He perturbis 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 52.
As war thay bouchers … Quha flemit ar for thair deuillische deuysis a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxx. 34.
Lo heir a toy and licht conset and loveris new devyce
b. At, or eftir (one's) devise, in accordance with one's design, ideas, or plans.(1) 1375 Barb. x. 363.
A cruk thai maid, at thair deuis [E. diuis], Of irn a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 35.
He gert byg ful richely … A tempil … At his dewyse quhene it was mad [etc.] 1437 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 5.
This sall be done at the sicht and devyse of xij discrete men of the burch thairto chosin 1456 Hay II. 15/25.
Merchandis in thair marchandice, and othir craftis wirkand at lordis devis c1475 Wall. viii. 1150.
Scho graithit hir apon a gudlye wis, With gold, and ger, and folk at hir dewis 1535 Stewart 32110.
At his [sc. God's] devyis all thing in erth is done a1540 Freiris Berw. 399.
All wes furth brocht, evin at his devyis Ib. 497.
To hald ȝow clois and still at my devyis 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 218.
[The council] ordanis tua wechis to be maid nychtlie at the baillies devise quhill thai be forthir avisit a1568 Scott xxii. 14.
The mair I do me dres To be at ȝour devyce, My guerdoun is the les 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII. 132 b.
Quhilkis cornes … I will to be sauld & disponit at the sycht and dewyse of hir tutouris(2) 1456 Hay II. 164/29.
Will thou … governe thé efter my devis and counsale a1500 Henr. Fab. 2123.
Wirk efter my deuyis, And ȝe sall haif it c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 15.
Ane laird hes with him bot a loun, That leidis him eftir his devyce 1535 Stewart 51713.
He … gaif him ane regiment To keip dyet efter his devys
2. A plan, design, project, or scheme; a method or way of action.1456 Hay II. 112/34.
To change the first set of the devise at his awin liber arbitrage 1461 Liber Plusc. 387.
Scho mad gud end, and deit with all gud devys 1475 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 32.
The quhilkis actis, ordinance, and devys … we appruf c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6056.
The heuin renewit sal be than, Rycht so the erth, with sic deuyse, Compair tyll hevinlye paradyse 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 955.
I suld declair at greiter lenth … The deuillische draucht of this deuyse c1590 J. Stewart 161/3.
Spreit most aspyre to sum celest dewyise. Dewyise celest is in the so repleit 1596 Dalr. I. 94/25.
Prudentlie they fand out a new diuice and maner of kuiking 1587-99 Hume Epistle 162.
A gude devise is worthie to be coft
b. The devising or planning of something.1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 457.
Offerand to abyde the law for the devyise, counsaling, and actuall deid of the slauchtir a1578 Pitsc. I. 251/12.
The king … bigit ane great schip … all the wryghtis of Scottland … was at hir devyse 1615 Highland P. III. 212.
Yf he wes vpoun the counsell, foirknoulege, plott or devise of the first intaking of the castell
c. A mechanical device.1577 Edinb. Test. V. 340.
To Adam Diksones wyf ane coup of siluer quhilk montis be ane deuis & demontis 1622-6 Bisset II. 249/8.
Of societie of fyschearis, quherein the ingynis, devisis and gane cum equalie in wynnyng and domaig except the weschellis
3. a. At devise, properly, skilfully, perfectly.a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 158.
Ane erretike, that richt wise Wes in clergy at dewyse c1420 Wynt. i. 76.
Adame … Lyk made to Gode and schapyne wes … , And sa fourmyde at dewys [etc.] Ib. viii. 1676.
In hys cownsall he was wys, And dyd this charge all at dewys ?1438 Alex. ii. 2474.
Than Ideas spak to the King Wysly at layser and at deuyse [F. par sens] c1420 Ratis R. 388.
Subtill craftis as at dewice Ȝhit can scho 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. 32.
The hors whilk drawis at deuice The assiltrie and goldin chair of price Of Tytan c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxv. 45.
All his fethreme maid wes at devyce 1513 Doug. x. ix. 85.
The Troiane prynce … with hys brand hym brytnys at devys In maner of ane offerand sacryfys
b. At all devise, in all respects, in every way, completely, thoroughly.1375 Barb. iv. 264.
Mynerfe ay wes wont to serfe Hym fullely at all deuis Ib. xi. 349.
The king … , that wes vicht and vis, And richt vorthy at all deuis a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 628.
Clement … Empleysit wele in godis serwice In althinge, at al dewise c1420 Wynt. i. 106.
Adam … wes put out of Paradys A propyr place at all dewys Ib. 372.
Noe wes a man rycht wys Perfyt and lele at all dewys a1500 Seven S. 302.
The pyne grewe fair at all devys 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 11.
Amyd the hallys heich, lang, and braid, Apparalyt at all devys and array 1531 Bell. Boece II. 29.
He gaderit xl. m. men, strang and weil armit, at all devise c1550 Rolland C. Venus iv. 594.
The knichtis … began to danse at all deuyis
4. Disposition to another; disposal of property; one's will or testament.c1420 Wynt. vi. 1045.
Swa off hys menbrys he mad dewyce [C. dewisse] … , All tha till hym in lyff he yhawld 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 730.
Wald God I wer this daye with hym confest, And my deuyse dewlie be hym addrest a1578 Pitsc. I. 209/17.
He … desirit ane preist to make his devyse 1578 Edinb. Test. VI. 178.
I, Robert Lummisden, … makis this my testament, latterwill, & devis as heir followis 16.. Hist. Kennedy 51.
Quhan he saw that thair wes na langar tyme, he beganne to mak his dewyise
