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.
Difficil(l, -ile, adj. Also: dificile, diffissil(l, difficell; defficil, deficill, -fissill. [Late ME. difficile (1477), OF. difficile, L. difficilis.]
1. Difficult to do or be done.(a) c1420 Wynt. iv. 1112.
Difficile yit it is to me To tell thar namys c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 5/14.
It is hard and difficill to do 1535 Stewart 56691.
Difficill is to gar ane cowart stand 1528 Lynd. Dreme 862.
It is deficill ryches tyll incres c1552 Id. Mon. 4876.
Difficill is chaistite tyll obserue Ib. 4930.
Podagra, difficill for to cure 1562-3 Winȝet II. 48/16.
Quhat thingis difficil to be done, dressit he nocht that thai mot appere maist facil? 1568 Buch. Indict. 35.
Fyndand the dyk of the ȝard difficill to pas our 1581 Cath. Tr. 85/20.
Thais things quhairin thair is sum difficil to be understand 1600 Colville Palinode 6.
Howe easilie it may be lost, that is most difficill to be found 1614 Highland P. III. 162.
Becaus it is to difficill to belewe thais pepill, I wold hawe [etc.] 1629 Boyd Last B. 360.
It is more difficile to pray than to preach(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 2495.
Gyff ony dowtys ware … That ware deficyle to declere 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 210.
To follow a fixt sentens … Is mair practik, deficill, and far strater 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 116.
The berar can schaw how defissill it wes to me to bring him to this purpois a1578 Pitsc. I. 83/13.
Because the castell of Douglas was so deficill to win
2. Difficult to do, accomplish, or deal with.1456 Hay I. 235/15.
Be caus this mater is sum part difficile, I will ansuere schortly 1490 Irland Mir. I. 50/30.
Gif thou reputis gret thing, hard and difficil, to forgif [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy I. 5/18.
For I intend of this difficill werk To mak ane end 1533 Boece v. ix. 181 b.
This … made the were mare deficill 1549 Compl. 15/17.
As is hyr vse to do to them that vndirtakkis difficil entrepricis 1558-66 Knox II. 365.
The tryall and examinatioun of that cryme was difficill 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 360.
The wethir … continewing sa ewill, and the trawelling sa diffissill 1587-99 Hume 83/99.
In chuising thy vocation (because it is a thing verie hard and difficile) 1604 Craig i. 11.
To be a King, And well to rule, was most difficill thing1644 Baillie II. 245.
This is our present difficill exercise: we had need of your prayersa1651 Calderwood IV. 346.
Their other devices standing difficill, and longsome to be brought to passe
3. Hard to understand, explain, or solve.1490 Irland Mir. I. 71/31.
Ansuerand to this questioun richt difficill, I say [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 46.
The interpretation … of difficil and obscuire placis 1585 James VI Ess. 20.
The easiest … of all his difficile and prolixed poems 1597 Skene Verb. S. Title-p.
The exposition of the difficil wordes & termes [etc.] Id. Reg. Maj. 56.
Quhen they in ane obscure and difficill cause, askes counsell at his court 1629 Boyd Last B. 218.
These wordes seeme to bee difficile
4. Difficult to travel or pass over.1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 47.
Rycht difficil the gait to hevin agane 1531 Bell. Boece I. 44.
The Pichtis … come, be mony wilsome and difficil gaitis, to Orknay Id. Livy I. 239/8.
Thai … wan the difficillest and maist strate part of the said montane 1596 Dalr. I. 99/11.
Thair followers thay saiflie deceiue throuch certane difficile myres a 1686 Turner Mem. 45.
By a speadie march we made ourselves masters of these difficell passes
