A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mas, Masse, n. [ME. (c 1400), e.m.E. and F. masse, late ME. mase, e.m.E. mass.]
1. An amorphous body of a substance or of an amalgam of substances, a lump of raw material.a1500 Henr. Pract. Medecyne 46.
Myng all thir in ane mas with the mone cruke 1554 Knox III. 124.
His wisdome hath made us all of one masse and nature a1568 Bann. MS. 41 a/22.
For of ane mas Thow hes ws formit all a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 33.
As the mas misforme of muddie molde Be quelling dois seir qualiteis acquyr 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 58.
Euin as tua sort of vaxis meltit togither makis a mas
b. spec. The compound from which pills are made. Also mas pill.16.. Nat. Lib. MS. 22. 2.11 last p.
[To induce sleep:] Receave mas pill cynogloss on scrupll 1682 Lauder's Observes App. iv. 309.
[For the ‘Catholic pill’] sprinkle a small dash of pennance and wrap up the whole mass in the Pope's infalibility
2. A coherent, undivided or solid body, a large, heavy or dense object.c1420 Wynt. v. 3593.
A barne … borne … at the nawyll it was a mas And outhe and neuthe dyvysyd it was 1549 Compl. 33/31.
That varld that the pepil malingnis is nocht ane substancial material mas maid of eird [etc.] … bot rather [etc.] Ib. 54/33. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 149/2.
This boundit infinit, the masse confusid of all this round 1587-99 Hume 19/86.
How far the … saull in substance dois surpas The mortall … corps, a lowrd and brukill mas 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 425.
b. The total amount (of blood in the human body).1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 143.
That journey … bred a rhumatism in the masse of his bloud
3. A package or bundle (of letters or papers).1496 Halyb. 7.
Rasauit in Brugis … a mas derekit to my lord 1498 Ib. 160.
Paid for portag of ij gret masses of lettris fra Rom, the quhilk war derekit to the archden Ib. 250. 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 59.
To ane boy to pas with ane mas off letteris to my lord of Sanctandros 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 224.
Madame, efter the closyng off this mas I gatt ane writtyng fra my lord quhilk yowr grace ples resave 1549–50 Treas. Acc. IX. 387.
Ane mas of writingis 1620 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1904) 65.
Loving friend, this masse will give you the paynes to cause deliver the enclosed letters c 1623 Melrose P. 487.
To haste two masses of letters to the Earle of Niddisdaillb. fig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 189.
I hope to live by faith and swim without a masse or bundle of joyfull sense under my chinne
