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: 1475-1586
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Dispit(e)full, Dispytfull, a. [ME. dispitfull (c 1450), f. dispit(e n. Cf. Despitfull.] Of persons, acts, etc.: Scornful, malicious, spiteful.(1) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 207.
The constable a felloun man of wer, … Selbye he hecht, dispitfull and owtrage c1500-c1512 Dunb. xx. 45.
Be no wayis dispytfull to the peure 1533 Boece viii. vi. 260.
Inemyis that war dispitefull and cruell murdrissaris 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 41.
The treuth declaired that he was but a dispitfull lyer a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS cv. 39.
Dispytfull poyettis sould not tholit be In commoun weillis(2) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 177.
It was weylle knawyn … , xviij scor putt to that dispitfull dede 1531 Bell. Boece I. 41.
Dowall, movit with thir dispitfull wordis, ruschit forthwart … , and slew King Nathak 1531 Ib. II. 15.
Our ennimes … wrocht on us, ilk day, mair dispitfull cruelteis 1558-66 Knox II. 405.
Hard ye evir, my Lordis, ane mair dispitfull and tresonable letter? a1578 Pitsc. I. 87/1.
Thir mutuall iniurieis and dispytfull consaittis … exasperit baith the parties
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"Dispitfull adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/dispitefull>
