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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1661
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Hevy, Hewy, a. Also: hevye, hevi(e (evi); hewy(e, hewé; heavy, -ie; heawie, heaffie. [ME. hevy(e, hevi, (evi,) early hefeȝ, -iȝ, OE. hefiᵹ. Cf. Havy a.]
1. Materially heavy; of some weight.(1) (a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xix. 246.
The lytil barne … Wox euiare mare and mare ?1438 Alex. i. 1488.
With swerd … That heuy was a1500 Henr. Fab. 2638.
All heuie thing man of the self discend a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 687.
His tender bak beris the hevy croce 1502 Treasurer's Accounts II. 37.
For ane hat to the King, quhen he gaif away his hat for caus it wes hevy 1513 Doug. vi. vi. 62.
Vndir the paysand and the hevy charge [sc. a boat-load] 1531 Bell. Boece I. viii.
Thir four bodyis elementar: Two hevy and grosse, and two ar licht and pure 1564 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 138.
Ane hevi ax 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 181.
That na caschies be hevier than ane half setting weicht(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxi. 867.
Ane ankyre rycht hewy He gert bynd till his hals c1420 Wynt. ii. 1170.
Haylstanys … hewy, thik and hard can licht c1420 Ib. v. 1969.
Wyth hard and hewy stanys c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 251.
That staff he had, hewy and forgit new 1533 Gau 62/27.
Thair is na hewiar burdine to men na sine(c) ?1438 Alex. ii. 9056.
Ane mekill, heauy mas [= mace] c1563 Reg. Panmure I. p. xxxiv.
[The water] maid them heawie and onahil to flea(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xii. 79.
As scho with barne had bene hewy(3) 1375 Barb. ii. 369.
He … hard and hewy dyntis gave ?1438 Alex. i. 2443.
The heuy dintis to gif and tak
2. Of the body or persons: Having a feeling of weight, languid.1375 Barb. vii. 175.
Quhen the vanys fillit ar, The body vorthis hevy, … And to slepe drawis hevynes 1456 Hay II. 77/28.
Grete febilness of body has maid me sa paysand and hevy to travaile 1456 Ib. 119/29.
Gude of sycht, nocht hevy of eyne 1533 Gau 66/30.
Our bodis sal be na mair hewy or sweir 1596 Dalr. I. 213/18.
King Constantine is … sa dul, and heauie, … and deid ydle
b. Of sleep, age, or feelings.a1400 Legends of the Saints xl. 702.
And vaknit as of hewy slepe 1533 Boece ii. iii. 61 b.
My hevy age requiris now to he absoluit and relaxit fra curis c1615 Chron. Kings 109.
The king … being on ane heaffie sleip 1661 Black Sc. Witches 46.
Thair came as shoe thoght a heavie spirit wpon hir
3. a. Burdensome, hard to bear, oppressive.1456 Hay I. 205/26.
Suppos it be rycht hevy to thole be the lawe that ane innocent man … suld he punyst 1490 Irland Mir. I. 14/3.
Tharfor considere that thi office is … of hevy charge a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 1029.
Confusit with a hewy thocht, … Deuoydit was his spritis 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 75.
All that horribil was, or ȝit heuy, Woful, hidduous 1533 Boece vi. xiii. 211 b.
Beseking onelie the legate he wald nocht think hevy to supple him with power 1531 Bell. Boece II. 169.
Gif peace under thir conditiouis war thocht hevy 1528 Lynd. Dreme 66.
I … Had lyne walking, … Throuch heuy thocht, that no way sleip I micht
b. Severe or extreme in any respect; serious.(1) 1375 Barb. xvii. 20.
He had ay at thame hevy will 14.. Acts I. 328/2.
Gif he dois nocht, he sal remayn in the kingis hewy mercy ?1438 Alex. i. 1609.
The myscheif was heuy, And richt cruell to athir party a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1540.
Glydand glaidnes temper with the gall Of hevy panis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 121/4.
All this time … mankind has bene for his gilt in hevy presoune 1513 Doug. vii. x. 117.
Hevy wraik and sorofull vengence ȝit sall thé ourtak 1513 Ib. xiii. ii. 116.
So huge and hevy perrellis 1545 Reg. Privy S. III. 196/2.
Vexit with infirmiteis and hevy sekenes 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 223.
To thair hevy dampnage and skaith 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 667.
Betuix vs twa is chancit ane heuie cace 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 87.
He tuik bed with ane extreme heuie seiknes c1615 Chron. Kings 36.
Deceissing of ane heaffie diseas(2) 1489 Lennox Mun. 129.
Nocht to commyt sic hewy crymes
4. Oppressed in spirit, dejected, distressed.c1420 Wynt. v. 1980.
Marcus, … hewy in till hys hart and wa c1420 Ib. viii. 2091.
In hart he wes hewy c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 309.
The mynister said, with hart hewy as leid 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 291/17.
He was maire hevy to depart with hyr na for all the laif c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii. 664.
Vp he rais richt heuie and dolent 1560 Id. Seven Sages 2118.
Quhairof the King was heuie in his minde 1560 Ib. 9041.
Of ȝour depart my hart is richt heuiec1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxv. 66.
With humell hewe hairtt
b. Manifesting or expressing depression.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii. 839.
He wald wyth hevy chere Mak for this man swa gret prayere c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 251.
With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht 1531 Bell. Boece II. 40.
Hengist … reprevit him quhy he maid sa hevy cheir in the time of his mariage 1528 Lynd. Dreme 475.
With heuy cheir, and cullour paill as leid(2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 51/13.
Quhar thair salbe greting, sorow & hevy murnyng a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 102.
Marcy and Piete maid ane full hevy mane 1513 Doug. ii. v. 72.
Ane hevy murmour, as it was draw Furthof the boddum of his breste 1576 Criminal Trials I. 51.
Makand hevye sair dule with herself
5. Comb. with -hedit, -hertit.1456 Hay II. 119/31.
He that has a wayke calde stomak … is … hevy hertit and sad c1550 Rolland Court of Venus Prol. 31.
Melancoly … Heuie-heidit and seindill in game or glew
