A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1596
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Enemy, Enimy, n. Also: enemé, -mie, -mye, enimie, enymy; ennemy, -mé, ennimy, -mé, -mie, ennymy, -mie. [ME. enemy, enemé (c 1300), enimie, enneennymy, etc., OF. enemi, ennemi. See also Inemy n.]
1. An enemy, a foe.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 372.
Thus hardyment … Gert him … oft our-cum his enymys [E. ennymyis] 1375 Ib. ix. 224.
He wald fare To bargane with his enymys [E. ennymys] c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1352.
Affermand … Of thame capitale ennymye Hym for to be perpetualy c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 5.
Till honour ennymyis is our haile entent 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 93.
He is thy ancyent ennymy, werst of ane 1531 Bell. Boece I. 117.
Thay wer belttit about on every side with ennimes c1552 Lynd. Mon. 99.
Thare ennimeis of thame sall haue no mycht 1567 Satirical Poems iv. 79.
I houpit weill to haue na ennymie Into this Realme 1596 Dalr. I. 8/19.
Thay haue leiret … with the force of thair bodie … to expel the ennimie(b) c1460 Thewis Wysmen 320.
For ignorans and negligens Ar ennemys till al sciens 1513 Doug. ii. v. 75; etc.
Our ennemys has thir worthy wallys tane 1567 Satirical Poems vi. 58.
Ȝe neid not for till feir The boisting of ȝour ennemeis without a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xcvii. 76.
Ilkane fra vther thame defendis As fra ane commoun enneme(c) c1450 Craft of Deyng 61.
The deuill … is our auld enemye c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 653.
Wallace … Playnly be fors vencust his enemys [five] c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxv. 65.
Our wys pavys fra enemys, Agayne the feyndis trayne 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 102/9.
Quhen ane mannis crag vas put in the ȝoik be his enemye a1578 Pitsc. I. 200/27.
They thocht the king greatlie to be thair eneme 1590 Warrender P. II. 139.
We will deme … thame selfes enemeyis to quyetnes and disturbatouris of the public peax
2. In specific uses: a. pl. The English. Usually our ald enemyis.1472 Edinb. Charters etc. 134.
In case our ald ennemyis of England adress thaim to inuade the said our conburges c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 7.
Our ald ennemys cummyn of Saxonys blud c1475 Ib. 146.
Scotland was … our set throuch with our ennemys wilde 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 1/13.
To becum randrit in the subiection and captiuite of our mortal ald enemeis a1578 Pitsc. I. 107/8.
Quha vas slaine … [fechtand] against the Inglismen our awld enemeis
b. The Devil.a1500 Henr. Fab. 1918.
Exhortand folk to … be war Fra nettis of oure wickit enemie c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 4/18.
I propone to perswade aganis the perswasioun of the enemy 1535 Stewart 26740.
Ane incobus … Quhilk be illusion of the ennimie … Culd tell perfitlie baith of peax and weir 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 76.
Now Christ … vincust hes our ennemie
