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, Dewis(e, v.1 Also: devisse, -vice, -vys(e, -vyis; dewice, -wys(e, -wysse, -wyis. [ME. devise (a 1300), devyse, etc., OF. deviser. See also Divise v.2]
1. tr. To design, plan, think out, contrive, invent (esp. some method or arrangement, more rarely a material thing).(a) 1375 Barb. x. 369.
Alsoyn As this deuisit wes and done Ib. xx. 309.
His testament deuisit he 1456 Hay I. 259/21.
Gif a man chalangis his wyf that scho has … devisit his dede Ib. II. 12/13.
Thai ordanyt that the maist noble and worthy armoure suld be devisit and maid to thai knychtis a1500 Bk. Chess 70.
The gentill sporting of the ches Devysit, maid, and first begunnyng was In the tyme [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xix. 41 (M).
How sould my gyding be devysit? Giff I spend litle I am dispysit 1531 Bell. Boece I. 54.
Thay … devisit … punitioun for all maner of crimes 1533 Boece 15.
How Hengist … devisit subtell castis to hald Britouns in cummare 1542 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford 15.
In the sykyrest … forme of assingnacioun at can be devisyt c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1765.
Quhilk wes gret folye tyll deuyse Sick one presumptuous interpryse 1562-3 Winȝet I. 61/9.
An ansuer, quhilk wes … deuiseit heirto 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 51.
Thay causit new articles to be devysit in Ingland a1578 Pitsc. I. 43/13.
Without ony wnderstanding quhat was devyssit for thair distructioun 1603 Philotus lxxvi.
Quhen I haue vnbethocht me thryse, I can na better way deuyse 1607 Highland P. III. 106.
The grettest treson thatt euer was deuysid aganst aney prence 1622-6 Bisset II. 199/9.
Plinie reportis, that King Erichtbras devysed boittis first 1644 Acts VI. 77/2.
All that malice can devyse … aganis ws(b) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 206.
Thar a palace one sic vyijs Sa craftly he cane dewyse c1475 Wall. iii. 245.
He gert dewys and prowide thar wictaille 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 331.
[The lands] to be resignit and giffin … in juntinfeftment … in sykkyrast wys the said George and his freindis can dewys a1500 Lanc. 784.
One what wys He shuld his batelles ordand and dewys 1566 Montgomery Mem. 202.
Securitie to be prowydit … in the seurest maner the said laird … can dewys a1578 Pitsc. I. 115/15.
The king dewyssit ane subtill and craftie meine aganis the said Erle 1606 Highland P. III. 87.
To set fordwart … sic reformatioune … as it sall pleas his hienes best to dewyse
b. With dependent clause as object, or followed by an infinitive.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 831.
A multytud thare gadderit wes, That dewysit quhat wyis thai Vald that wark mak c1500-c1512 Dunb. xix. 2.
How sould I rewill me, or quhat wyis, I wald sum wyis man wald dewyis 1535 Stewart 57014.
To counsall all … he gart thame pas, For to devyis … quhat best wes to be done(2) c1460 Wisd. Sol. 360.
Thar is na wyt of man that can … dewys to gyf a resone [etc.] a1500 Henr. III. 168/77.
Bot thow … devyis to mend this byle, Of this mischeif quha ma releif ws ocht? 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 396.
Howson craftismen or masounis cane or may dewis to big agan the said brig 1567 G. Ball. 100.
Thay haif deuysit … To set thair nettis with cloikit craftines
c. Used absolutely, esp. in clauses with as.1375 Barb. vii. 25.
As he deuisit, thai haf done Ib. xii. 197.
I sall consent … Till do richt as ȝhe will deuis a1400 Leg. S. vi. 213.
Thar-fore as thu dewisise now, Mak furth myn wark Ib. xxxvii. 339.
As Dacyane dewisit, thai dide ?1438 Alex. ii. 7957.
Ane man me tald, … How thay deuysit of thare affere c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 47.
Sic ladyis wyis, thay ar to pryis … Swa can devyis 1535 Stewart 1754.
Mony berne full bald Convenit thair … For till devyis for mony speciall thing 1545 Grant Chart. 95.
It salbe lesum the said conthrak to be extendit in the maist vberior forme … as men of law can dewis a1568 Scott xxx. 48.
So is the woman born to breid The fruct of man, … As nature hes dewysit a1578 Pitsc. II. 211/6.
For purgatioun of the same I will vse my selff as ȝe will dewyse a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 781.
Cum on, … and do as we devyse c1650 Spalding II. 86.
Leaving all thinges so soundlie satled … as thay thame selffis could devys
2. To decide or fix upon; to assign or appoint.?1438 Alex. ii. 8184.
Now worthis me Deuyse at laser quha sall be With me into my awin battale c1420 Wynt. viii. 6699.
Quhen thai devisit had the day, This knycht tyll Inglande went his way 1456 Hay II. 147/19.
Thus counsale I thé, that … thou have … fyve counsailouris severalie devisit 1549 Banff Ann. I. 25.
Twachane the quhitt fyscharis, thir ar the personis that ar devisit for the keiping of bottis 1562 Peebles B. Rec. 282.
That the said communite haif sic securite as thai will devise of the said James Gledstanis 1593 Wemyss Chart. 217.
Sir Iame Scott … in name off assythment offerit the sowme off thre hundreth merkis … , togidder with sic honouris as freindis vald dewyis
b. With dependent clause, infin., or absol.(1) 1515 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 154.
In bying of … woll efter it wes deuysit and concludit … that the samyn sould be bocht for the commoun proffitt 1545 Ib. II. 118.
The provest … hes devysit that ane baillie … walk nychtlie fra thyne furth 1560 Acts II. 605/2.
It salbe devisit that certane ambassatouris be send to hir maieste fra thestatis 1583 St. A. Baxter Bks. 31.
It is statut, devysit, and ordanit for perpetuall weill of the craft, that every seruice man [etc.](2) 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 77.
Thai haif devysit to haif fyve persounis … to be berares and clengearis within this toune 1529 Conv. Burghs I. 508.
The Kingis Grace and his lordis of Counsaill has dewisit Maister Ihone Campbell … to pas in Flanderis 1562 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 339.
All in ane voce dewisit and ordanit the sowme of twa thousand merkis to be vpliftit a1578 Pitsc. I. 238/9.
Thay dewysed and desyred the king to send ane ambassadour to Ingland a1605 Montg. Flyt. 390(T).
To dryve doggis furth to dryt, the third [weird] did devyse(3) 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 227.
To propine the Quenis grace with … wyne, walx, and spycery as thai sall devis heirefter Ib. 421.
That he may preif it … as the Quenis grace pleis devis
3. To describe, relate, discourse or explain.1375 Barb. iv. 569.
The king … chargit him, in les and mare, As ȝe herd me deuis it are Ib. xi. 195.
So fele thai var of ser quyntis, That it war gret slicht to deuis a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv. 28.
Sa costly array Scho had … That maistri ware it to dewise c1420 Wynt. i. 49.
The name of angelys for to dewys, Is noucht of kynd bot of offys Ib. iii. 626.
Mare perfytly Than I can on ony wys Wyth all my wyt to yowe dewys ?1438 Alex. ii. 10010.
Thir ar the nyne best that armes bare, I haue deuysit ȝow ordourly a1500 Rauf C. 612.
I deuise [that] at the ȝet thair is ane allane c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 104.
To dame Wenus … Thay sang ballettis … With amourouse notis lusty to devise 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 110.
Thai fut it so that lang war to devys Thar hasty fair 1558-66 Knox II. 329.
He devised of wonderouse signes that he saw in the heavin
b. Absolute, in clauses with as.1375 Barb. x. 2.
Qwhen Thomas Randol on this vis Wes takyn, as I heir deuis a1400 Leg. S. vi. 440.
Quhen al one this vyise Ves done as I devyse c1400 Troy-bk. i. 94.
Quhan he had endyt one this wise Thyr wordes as I here devise c1420 Wynt. iii. 596.
Quhen Albanactus on this wys Was slayne, as yhe me herd dewys Ib. viii. 3594.
To mak defens and brettys: Thai wrowcht a qwhille, as I dewys a1500 Henr. Orph. 232.
Of thir sex … fyve hevynly symphonyis Componyt ar, as clerkis can deuise
c. To discuss, talk over.?1438 Alex. ii. 4548.
Now wald I blythly that it war Richt as we haue deuysit heir
4. a. To make out by conjecture.1456 Hay I. 64/35.
He … tald this mervaill quhilk na man coud devis na juge c1475 Wall. ix. 361.
That largest man … Wald I call him, be makdome to dewice
b. To examine or survey; to consider.c1475 Wall. iii. 101.
The worthi Scottis … To Lowdoun hill past … Dewysyt the place, and putt thair hors thaim fra c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiv. 1.
Devysing in my slummer, How that this realme, … Gydit, provydit sa mony ȝeiris hes bene
