A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
He, adv. Also: hee. compar. hear; superl. heast, heest. [Northern ME. hee (14th c.), var. of hey(e Hey adv., or from OE. compar. héaor higher. Cf. Hie adv.]
1. High, highly, in the usual lit. and fig. senses.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 142.
Scho saw the angel[is] that bare vpe he Mary Ib. xxviii. 225.
In mydis gert he set vpe sa he His dempster stule c1475 Wall. x. 139.
Quhar off suld thow thi senȝe schaw so he? c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 27.
O gentill egill, … That of all fowlis dois heest [v.r. heast] fle 1535 Stewart 29969.
[They] on ane gallous hangit war full he 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 294.
The bolwerk … is he rysit with tymer fyllit with earth a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 7.
Trees … Quhais … toppis reaching he Mot brek the storme(2) c1420 Wynt. iii. 497.
That nevyr yhit na chevalry Hear yhed than his persowne 15.. Dunb. P. iii. 8.
Sa mony ar thair ladeis treitis … And dois thair bewteis pryis so he a1568 Scott xxi. 22.
Thow held hir curage he on loft 1570 Sat. P. xii. 128.
Be Hanniballis, and heis ȝour hartis sum hear(3) ?1438 Alex. i. 3082.
Emynedus … That he renounit bachilere c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 5.
He nottit is thy name of nobilnes
2. Loudly, aloud.a1400 Leg. S. ii. 406.
Fendis … Throw Goddis vertu he cane rare Ib. xxxix. 322.
Scho … Mad sare chere & cane he cry, ‘Now, God, [etc.]’ Brus iv. 416 (C).
The cry rais hydwisly and hee a1500 Doug. K. Hart 295.
Dame Plesance, … lauchan he c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 139.
Corrupt carioun, he sall I cry thy senȝie 15.. Clar. iv. 1367.
Thay cryit ‘Larges’, … he on height
3. Loftily, abstrusely.a1538 Abell 52 a.
He prospert litill becaus he prechit our hee & curioslie
