Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Effect, Effec(k, n.¹ Also: effecte, -cthe, -ctt, iffect; effek, effeke. [ME. effect (Chaucer), OF. effect, L. effectus.]

1. The effect or result (of something); also, the end (of a person). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2821.
Torne we to the trewe story, … For to tell planely the effect Of Vlixes, how he gan dye c1420 Wynt. v. 1349.
For-thi suld men in thare yhowthede Be techyd well, … And the effect oys off thare lare c1552 Lynd. Mon. 70.
Expell the cause, than the effect belyue Sall cease

b. Without article, in various phrases. 1480 Acta Conc. 70.
That the said Robert sall nocht revoke … the said procuratour quhill it be vsit and hafe effect a1500 Seven S. 819.
God I beseike … That in ȝour hart it take effek [: nek] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 190.
He has … fair wordis but effect, all fruster of dedis Id. xx. 39.
Quhair parrell is but proffeit or effect 1535 Stewart 42295.
Off all he said come nothing till effect [: blek] 1545 Reg. Paisley App. 6.
We sall caus the saidis Abbot … to be really and with effeck anseryit a1578 Pitsc. I. 16/33.
To bring ther haill purpois to effectt scho promeist [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxiii. 69.
Thai ar but licht and thingis of nane effect

c. In the phrase in (maner,) forme and effect.(a) 1405 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 201.
At all this … be yemit and kepit in fourme and effect, bath … partiis hase gifin bodily fayth 1429 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 10.
All thir condycyonis in forme and in iffect as ys befor wretyn 1482 Edinb. Chart. 156.
To the observing … of all and sindri thir promittis … , in form and effect as said is 1521 Grant Chart. 66.
It is appointit … in manner, forme and effecthe as efter falows 1531 Reg. Dunferm. 362.
In maner, forme, and effect as efter followis(b) 1415 Reg. Great S. (1430) 39/1.
This indentur … proportis and berys wytnes in manir, forme, and effec eftir folowand 1438 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 49.
In maner, forme, and effek as is beforsaid 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 359.
Gevin furth in maner fourm and effec as followis 1499 Dunferm. B. Rec. 99.
The borcht … wes continevit … in the samyn force, forme, & effec as it nov is

2. Operative value or validity. 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/2.
That speciall trew and assurance sall be twix thaim … haveand the force and effecte in all poyntz as the next trewe gangand before 1440 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 192.
The quhilkis [claims] … sal be jugeit … to stand in sik effecte as the thre estatis thinkis that thai acht to doo 1463 Wemyss Chart. 83.
That this my obligacione, … beir in the selff the fors, the fourme and the effek [etc.] 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 32.
Statutis … to statut and ordane … hafand the samyn forme, force, and effect as this present writ has 1542 Acts II. 424*/2.
That the saidis preceptis be … of als grete strenth, avalour, and effect as thai war direct to Jhone, abbot of Pasley 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 93.
That this claus be of effect and strentht as it war put in the body of this present writ 1561 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 335.
This present ordinans sall remaine and continew in effect for ane yeir eftir the dait of thir presentis 1622-6 Bisset I. 93/16.
We … do conferme the samin [articles] to have full effect 1634 St. A. Baxter Bks. 97.
This act to stand and remain in the awin strength and effect

b. With negatives, esp. in the phrases of nane effect, of na fors nor effect, etc. 1425 Acts II. 9/1.
Thai lettres salbe … of nane awayll, fors, nor effec 1490 Acta Conc. 159/2.
To here the conuencione … to be of nane avale, force, nor effect 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 18.
That the saidis euidentis, instrumentis and letres, be nowder of strength, fors, nor effect, in tyme to come 1509 Douglas Chart. 193.
I grant that my scharteris … be off na fors nor effek 1513 Doug. ix. iv. 131.
For nocht thou says sik wordis vane, Ingyrand cacis [that] ar of nane effek 1524 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 218.
That the act maid … haue na strenth, force, nor effect in tyme to cum 1545 Reg. Paisley app. 7.
The said infeftment … to haif na fordar strynth nor effek mayr than it had never beyng giffin 1622-6 Bisset I. 95/26.
Decerning all thair attempttattis … to be void and of nane effect

c. Of litill effect, of little value or worth. 1535 Stewart 21118.
Thair lawtie ay wes bot litill effect Ib. 22495.
That wall wes … biggit … with dry mow that wes of lytill effect

3. A result or end desired or aimed at. a1500 Henr. Fab. 666.
Schir Tod, for quhat effek Mak ȝe sic feir? 1513 Doug. vi. ii. 131.
Ane othir goldin grane to the ilk effect Thou sal nocht mys, thocht the first be down brek 1523 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 216.
That the baillies … pas and commoun with … the ambassatour to the samyn effect 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 581/2.
That thai and ȝe … do justice upoun thame … and to that effect len to him ȝoure presonis, stokis, fetteris and all uthir thingis necessar tharto 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 143.
To steik vp … the durris and windois … to the effect that na filth be gadderit thairin 1582 Waus Corr. I. 264.
I … vas euer the farder abaik the mair suit I maid to that effek 1592 Acts III. 559/1.
Thomas Foullis … hes … beiggit housis and mylnis for this effect to his grit coist 1619 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 361.
That a voluntar contributioun be crawit to that effect

b. In (also intill, into) effect, so far as the effect or result is concerned, in fact, in reality. Also in gude effect.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1372.
All thir fabillis … , quhilk in effect, suppois thay fenȝeit be, Ar full of prudence c1500 Fyve Bestis 354.
Ane kyngis word in till effect suld bene More precious … Than gud or gold a1500 Bk. Chess 143.
I maid in to effect This sport of ches in figour to correct Thy vicious lyf 1505 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 102.
Oure sober oulklie penny and vpsettis, quhilk ar small in effect till sustene and vphald oure said altar 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 86.
Efter, in effek, Of Taurentum the fyrth we se Ib. iv. v. 92.
Pas, son, in haist, graith the wyndis in effek 1535 Stewart 21597.
Of ane thing he tuke so greit ane feir, The quhilk sone followit efter in effect a1585 James VI Maitl. Q. lxvii. 11.
Lat quhyllis it [intent] brek furth in effect, Bot ay let wit thy will correct(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 31.
In gud effek, Nor I be hangit be the nek, Gife bettir butis of ledder ma be 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 149.
In gud effect, Thou mon draw furth, the ȝok lyis on thy nek 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 599.
Quhilk as his Majestie heir promittis, sa sall he mak to cythe in gud effect heirefter

c. In general purport or meaning. 1506 Dunferm. B. Rec. 349.
Ane other procuratour … made … wndir his awne hande writ and bur in effec as eftir followis 1526 Ib. 281.
Dene Johne Blacot … schew ane letter … berand in to effek that he gaif hym fre licens [etc.]

4. The essential part or substance of anything. c1420 Wynt. viii. 380.
The effect oure se he wrate, Cownsale til hawe off this debate 1456 Hay I. 144/33.
Tharefore we leve sum part of oure resounis, to cum to the effect of oure mater the soner c1500 Rowll Cursing 227.
Now to the effect ga [M. proceed] will I And speik of feyndis phantasy 1568 Buch. Indict. 34.
The substance and effect of hir haill harrang wes … that [etc.]

b. To this (or that) effect, in substance. Also with in. a1500 Bk. Chess 117.
To this effect thus sayis Valerius That [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5147.
Polydorus Uirgilius, To that effect he wryttis thus 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9885.
The Empreour … said in this effeck, O my … trew brother [etc.]

c. The greater part or number. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 8.
I stand fastand in a nwke, Quhill the effect of all thay fang thame

5. Of effect, of worth or importance. c1450-2 Howlat 165.
Thir ar fowlis of effect, but fellony or feid a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 289.
Na fowlis of effect amangis tha binkis Biggis, nor abydis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xix. 27.
Cheis faythfull men of prudence and effect

6. Purpose; profit or advantage. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2705.
For quhy thow can sa weill ane lesing clek, Turne vp syde doun, ay to thy awin effect 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 217.
George Home … oursear, ingader[er] and vplifter of thair sowmes for thair effect