A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1578
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Mercy-, Merciful(l, a. Also: mercie-, marcy-, marci(e)- and -fow. [ME. (a 1300) and e.m.E. mercifulle, mercyful(l.] Merciful, forbearing, forgiving.a. Of persons. b. Of God, Christ or the Virgin. c. Of actions, intentions, etc.a. (a) 1456 Hay II. 95/30.
Bot be ay mercifull and pitous apon thame that [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 501.
I am so mercifull in mynd c1500-c1512 Id. xiii. 55.
All mercyfull wemen 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III. 12/1.
[He] schew him mercyfull and had reuth [etc.] 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 162/28.
Na mair gracius, curtas nor mercifulto thé … nor [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 128/16.
Thinkand weill that the King was so merciefull to the Earle of Crafurd that he wald be no les mercifull to him(b) 1533 Gau 60/12.
Be marciful to me a1578 Pitsc. I. 109/14.
Maist marciefull princeb. a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 92.
Merciful … Jhesu, In this disease helpe now! a1500 Henr. Fab. 1139 (Bann.). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 154/9. c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 1. c1500-c1512 Id. xxxviii. 14. 1533 Gau 63/17.
Lord God, thou quhilk is marciful 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2542.
God of his grace is to vs mercyfow 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 7. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 44/29.
To our maist mercyfull God 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 36. a1578 Pitsc. II. 314/32.
Except the Lord of His mercie be mercyfull and forgive himc. c1420 Ratis Raving 1320.
Ewyne rychtwisnes in jugment And vmquhill mercyfull intent 1456 Hay II. 102/10.
Thai gude mercifull dedis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 118 h. of ch.
The mercifull sentens of the hevinly wisdome c1490 Id. Asl. MS. I. 57/25.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Merciful adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 May 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mercifull>
This short survey (6 questions) will help us improve the site.
