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: 1555-1641
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Diminis, Diminisch, v. Also: -ise, -es, -is(c)he, -minsh; deminis, -eis, -menis, -minische. [ME. deminish (1417), e.m.E. dimynyshe, etc.]
1. tr. To lessen in amount or extent.(a) 1555 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 13.
The remanent fyve burrowis … deminissit the depauperat of thair exorbetant taxatioun 1560 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 327.
Quhow diuerse personis hes biggit … vpoune the forgettis, and thairthrow diminissis the passage of the streittis 1558-66 Knox II. 451.
Ye will nocht say, that God hes now diminissit his graceis for those whome [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 35/27.
It demen[i]seis our fame and honouris 1581 Acts III. 235/2.
To tak fra our souerane lord … the patremonie of the few maill … of the saidis fischeingis and to demineis and stay the samyn 1596 Dalr. II. 382/16.
At last thay war sa balde, [as] to … diminise the authoritie of the kirk(b) 1560 Knox II. 56.
We gif … you full power to augment, or diminische thir saidis heidis and articles 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 30.
Thay could nowther … diminishe hir authoritie nor constrayne hir to mary a1578 Pitsc. I. 337/17.
Nathing [was] deminischit of his ordour more nor he had bene at hame 1576 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 96.
My daylie ordinare wes alterit and diminshit 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 140.
That euerie skipper … se that the merchandis geir be nocht diminischit, stowin, or abusit 1622-6 Bisset I. 31/7.
In administratioun of iustice, he deminisched, mony of thair prerogatives 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 106.
To keip the saides wayes and passages … that the samen be not distroyit or diminischit be anie persoune
b. To take away, remove, subtract.1596 Dalr. II. 61/23.
Offendet that ony thing … suld be deminisset and paret of his authoritie 1596 Ib. II. 407/12.
Tha lie falslie, that tha … diminise nathing of her power 1622-6 Bisset I. 4/30.
Because he thinkis nocht weill of his antecessouris surname [Pilate], he hes deminisit the last lettir thairof 1615 Highland P. III. 263.
If his Ma'te may not be moved to let me haue this iland, diminissing nothing of his Ma'tes commoditie
2. intr. To become less.1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 230.
Sua as the prices of the quheit risis or diminisis, the breid to be sauld thairefter 1570 Leslie 122.
Thair powar sall increase dailie, and ouris will diminische 1614 Mure Misc. P. iii. 21.
My loyal affectioune no tyme sall diminisch
