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: 1375-1602
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Dispis(e, Dispys(e, v. Also: dyspys(e, dispyis; dyspyce, dys-, dispice. [ME. dispise, -pyse, -pice (late 14th c.), variants of despise, etc., Despis(e v.] tr. To despise, contemn, scorn.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 50.
[The Percy's menn] dispisis ȝow mair, schir king, Than men may dispis ony thing 1456 Hay II. 58/33.
The noble king Alexander … dispisit avarice and covatise 1456 Ib. 93/8.
Dispisand men that fane wald copy his maneris a1500 Henr. III. 147/54.
The hie God of his gracis Him self dispisit ws to speid 1513 Doug. i. i. 46.
Quhou that he Preferrit Venus, dispising hir bewte 1533 Gau 87/7.
Thy halie nayme is mony vayis dispisit and lichlit(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 88.
To schau tham in quhat kine wyse Thire warldis guddis ar to dyspice a1400 Ib. xxxvii. 254.
This Vincent ȝoure tormentis al Dispicis c1460 Thewis Wysmen 321.
Wyt and resone thai dispice(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxii. 405.
Decius saw the victory That he mycht nocht haif … bot dyspysit be c1420 Wynt. viii. 6943.
But radure all governyng Sall all tyme bot dispysyd be c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 167.
Thai … hym dispysyt in thar langage als a1500 Bk. Chess 2178.
No man suld … pretend To lichtly ocht or sic men to dispys c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 64.
Nobillis of bluid he dois dispys, And helpis for to hald thame downe 1513 Doug. iv. xii. 68.
Quhy hes thou sa far dyspysyt me? 1562-3 Winȝet II. 52/17.
Dispyseand all thir thingis, and perseuerand firme … in fayth c1500-c1512 Dunb. xix. 4 (B).
I can not leif in no degre, Bot sum will my maneris dispyis c1500-c1512 Ib. xxi. 21.
Vertew the court hes done dispyis 1572 Maitland Folio MS lxxxviii. 4.
Dispyis thair dewilliche deming and defy it 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 139.
That na mariner sall dispyse, conteme, or lichtle the schipis wittuallis
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"Dispis v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/dispise>
