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: 1456-1617
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Liberalite(e, -ie, n. Also: -allité, -ie, -alietie, libiralytie. [ME. (14th c.) and e.m.E. liberalite, lyberalytie, OF. liberalité, L. līberālitas.]
1. Liberality, generosity, munificence.For some further examples, see the synonyms Largenes n. 1, Larges n. 1. — 1456 Hay II. 59/3. 1456 Ib. I. 28/7, II. 28/5, 58/32, etc.
Throu his renoune of liberalitee and dispising of the vice of avarice a1500 Henr. Orph. 65; a1500 Id. III. 171/34, etc. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 27/16.
Thus oure Fadere … of his hie gentrice, larges and liberalite, this … gift … has gevin tows c1490 Id. Asl. MS. I. 73/24.
Humilite aganis pryde, liberalite aganis covatice 1533 Boece vi. i. 185.
The freyndis conquest … be liberalite and lawte 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 492.
Lode sterne … of libiralytie [Pitsc. liberallitie] a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitland Folio MS xxx. 71.
Waisting is comptit liberalitie a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS lx. 8.
Thy servandis cheris … With princelie liberalite a1578 Pitsc. I. 286/37.
Lord Home sieand Bischope Androw Formans liberalietie to him … proclamett the saidis bischopis bullis 1580 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 174.
King Robert … dotit the saidburght … of his bountifull liberalite and clemencie … with ane pece of ground a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 179.
Bacchus with his magnifik liberalitie and plentie, distributing of his liquor
2. ? A liberty or privilege. (Cf. Liberte(e n. 7.) 1522 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæval Plays 141.
The … counsell … had chosyne [two men] … lordis of bonacord for this instant ȝeir … grantand to thame all maner of jurisdictioun and liberaliteis according to the said office
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"Liberalite n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/liberalitee>
