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: 1499-1605
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Inconstant, a. [ME. (1402) and OF. inconstant, L. inconstans.] Not constant or stable; changeable.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2834.
With mynd inconstant, fals, and wariand 1531 Bell. Boece II. 482.
The mind of commoun pepill ar evir flowand, mair inconstant than wind(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 260.
Be constant in ȝour gouernance … Thought ȝe be kene, inconstant, & cruell of mynd 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 1241.
Sen I ȝow se sa inconstant, All vertewis me think ȝe want 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 21.
Thais things … quhilk the onlernet and inconstant deprauats and abusis a1578 Pitsc. II. 3/13.
The earle of Arrane quho was … faccell and inconstant(3) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 46.
Inconstant warld and quheill contrarious 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 176.
Inconstant warld! thy freindschip I defy! 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 113/15.
Inconstant foirton alterit the prosperite of the Cartagiens 1580 Satirical Poems xliii. 1.
Inconstant warld, fragill and friuolus a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii. 8.
Fortun … That curst inconstant cative
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"Inconstant adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/inconstant>
