Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Dissave, Dissaif(f, v. Also: dyssave, dyss-, dissawe, dyssayve, -aywe, dissaive; dissaf, dis(s)ayff; dyseff; disaw(e. [ME. dyssayve (14th c.), dyssave, disseyve, etc., variants of des(s)ayve, etc., Desave v.]

1. tr. To deceive, beguile, mislead.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 237 (E).
Thai mak ay thair ansuering In to dowbill wndirstanding To dissaiff [C. dissaf] thaim that will thaim trow 1375 Ib. 268. c1420 Wynt. iv. 374.
Sa it hapnys that men are Dyssayvid offt on that manere c1420 Ib. 2306.
Wytht twa traytourys … He falsly dyssaywyd was a1500 Henr. III. 168/76.
This deid is bot ane trane For to dissaif the laif, and thame begyle c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 1940.
Knawin enemys thai couth him nocht disayff c1475 Ib. x. 1102. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1862.
Thow has na laire That sall dissaif me ony maire, As did the dremaris of the hurdis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 256.
I couth sexty dissaif that suttillar were haldin 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 6080.
How durst thow be sa peirt me to dissaif? a1568 Scott xxix. 19.
Thair hairtis ar sett … Ȝow to dissaif with dowbilnes 1587-99 Hume Tr. Consc. 97/16.
Leist ony suld be dissaivit heirinabsol. c1515 Asloan MS I. 195/22.
Quhare thai mak stratest obligacoun … thare thai dissaif sonest(b) 1375 Barb. iv. 272.
His doubiil spek hir sua dissauit That throu hir feill the ded resauit 1375 Ib. xviii. 173. a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 569.
Lefthir ydolis, that nocht are Bot fendis that dissavis thé c1420 Wynt. iii. 424.
Quhen scho saw hyr the thryd tyme swa Dyssavyde, than scho mad gret wa 1456 Hay I. 30/29.
Thai … trowit all that thai said … , and was dissavit 1456 Ib. 177/21, etc.
All men of were may dissave his inymy be barat and slicht 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 276/21.
Socratis sais he that traistis a woman sall nocht faill to be dissauit c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 57.
Quhair fortoun evir … dissavis With freyndly smylingis of ane hure 1513 Doug. i. vi. 171, etc.
Quhy art thou cruell to thy son, … Dissavand hym sa oft with fals sembland? 1533 Bell. Livy I. 155/31.
I wil nocht dissaue the Tarquynis ony forther with vain behechtis to recouer thare realme 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3500.
The wisest men thay ay dissaue And this burges amang the laue 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.
He did his commissioun sa weill … that he dissauit ye cardinall of Lorayne 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I. 121.
Thow affermis … that Christsonday wilbe cassin in the fyre becaus he dissavis wardlingis men 1622-6 Bisset II. 156/16.
He wes dissaved be fals delusionis of devillis(c) 1375 Barb. iv. 272 (E).
This dowbill spek sua hyr dissawyt a1400 Legends of the Saints ix. 16.
In that ydol dwelt … A fend, for to dissawe mene a1400 Ib. xxi. 492.
Petyre, that na tryget mycht dyssawe c1420 Wynt. iii. 86.
Quhen that Iael hym resawyde In tyll hyr tent and hym dyssawyde c1420 Ib. iv. 368.
Dissawynde men on thare manerys a1578 Pitsc. I. 20/17.
Persaueand himsellffe sa craftelie disawit be his foes a1578 Ib. 31/31.
Quhairin the gouernour maist wickitlie dissaweit him(d)c1450 Craft of Deyng 136.
Quhen the deuill seis that he may nocht dyseff a man in the faith of the kirk(e)1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 42.
Prayand his lordschip … at ther cum na convocatioun upone me to disaw my contre under traista1578 Pitsc. I. 194/9.
It will caus thame … for to disawe thair maisteris … quhan tyme occuris

2. To be false or faithless to (one); to betray or fail to assist.c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 480.
Thai swor that he had dissawit thair lord a1500 Bk. Chess 1789.
Sic trew seruandis suld thai with thaim haf That hors nore men nother thai dissaif 1513 Doug. iv. viii. 45.
His ald promys na mair will I hym crave; Nor band of wedlok, quhilk he hes dissave 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 94.
The bardit hors in neid sall men dissaif, And mony thousand hors may na man saif