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.
Mis, Mys, v. Also: mise, miss(e, myse, myss(e. P.t. and p.p. missit, myssit; mist(e, myst. [ME. and e.m.E. mis(se, mys(se, OE. missan.] To miss.
1. tr. To fail to hit (someone or something aimed at).Also absol.(1) 1375 Barb. xii. 50 (E).
Schyr Henry myssit the noble king c1475 Wall. x. 366. a1578 Pitsc. II. 27/6. 1634 Dumbarton B. Rec. 43.
William Colquhoun caist a lyttill mell at hym … quhilk missit him and hat the lyntill(b) 1538 Lynd. Justing 48.
He mist the man & dang vpon the lystis c1550 Id. Meldrum 529. 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 199.(2) ?1438 Alex. i. 1157.
absol. Antigonus to him sterit his steid … Bot he missit and by can gang
b. ? To miss one's footing on. c. ? To step over (one of the steps of a stairway) in mounting more than one step at a time.a1540 Freiris Berw. 558.
Be this Freir Johine attour the stair is gane In sic wyis that mist he hes the trap a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 363.
Will thou loup up and misse ane of thir steppis?
d. To fail to grip or get hold of. —1561 Inverness Rec. I. 67.
And as God gaif grace the said Jasper and I gatt out at the duyr and [they] myst my self and pullit my cloyk fra me
e. To fail to intercept or capture (a person or persons).Also intr. const. of, and absol.(1) c1475 Wall. v. 14.
Quhen thai him myst, thai bownyt thaim to pas a1578 Pitsc. I. 188/14. Ib. 202/11.
Bot they mist the Duik of Albanie and his chamber chyld 1596 Dalr. II. 468/11.
Becaus tha knew him not tha mist him and sa he chaiped(2) 1585 Gray Lett. & P. 72.
Albeit they mist of her [the Queen of Scots], yet … can they once subuert … England [etc.](3) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 258.
Albeit … thair enemies lay at wait, and missit at the plesour of God
2. To fail to achieve or obtain, go without, be deprived of.Also intr. const. off.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 364.
Ȝe … for a schort tyme lestand blis In ȝour foly are lyk to mys ?1438 Alex. ii. 396.
Quha will worke be ȝour counsell, May nocht mis honour na tyne trauell c1475 Wall. vii. 150. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8040.
To gar him mis baith denner and disione 1567 G. Ball. 57. 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 90.
Thay sall not mys ane riche rewaird 1570 Ib. xxiv. 74. c1590 J. Stewart II. 75/99.
So Medor now possessith … The recompans quhilk campions did mis 1607 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 114.
This kirk … sall nevir miss meid nor comfort from yow(2) 1661 Red. Bk. Grandtully II. 157.
Iff I miss off all thes … I'm wors delt with then some quho hau nott so faithfully serv'd our late king
b. To fail to perceive or notice.a1500 Seven S. 2162.
That Merlyng na merk thing wald mys 1513 Doug. vi. ii. 132.
Ane other goldin grane … Thou sal nocht mys c1552 Lynd. Mon. 529.
That storye thare thow sall nocht mis
3. To notice the absence of (a person or thing), to find to be missing.Also, to miss away.(1) 1375 Barb. xix. 597 (E).
His men … Myssyt thair lord quhen thai come thar a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 908.
Gyf I myse ocht of it, thu sal it by One thy body dere inuch Ib. xxvii. 502. c1420 Wynt. v. 5239. 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 398.
And quhen Grahame myssit his gudes he stekit the ȝet c1475 Wall. viii. 294, xi. 1066. 1492 Myll Spect. 289/12.
Thus mony noble men ware myssit 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 541.
Joke Uponeland that tyme did mys his meir 1580 Inverness Rec. I. 280. 1600-1610 Melvill 19.
I tuk sum of it, thinking sche sould not haiff misset it 1600 Crim. Trials II. 156.
Mr Thomas, missing my lord, lap out at the dur(2) 1375 Barb. xix. 504 (E).
On the morn … The Inglis ost myssyt away The Scottis men a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 86.
The modir … Bath hyre barnis that myssit away c1420 Wynt. vi. 2005.
Awaye the thayne off Fyffe wes myst 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2320.
He turnit about and mist his wife away
4. To lose, do without, bear the loss of (a person).a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 399.
Hou suld I luf & that lele mys Ib. 407.
For-thi wa tyd is ȝou I-wis That ȝoure gud modir now mon mys a1500 Quare Jel. 283.
Gif that ony way Fro home he goth, his spy he schall nocht mys
b. To lose by death in battle.c1420 Wynt. iv. 611.
Fourty thousand reknyd twyis Darius myssid off his men 1596 Dalr. I. 163/20.
xii thousand Scottis and vi thousand Romanis war miste in this feild Ib. II. 6/23.
Misset
5. a. To regret the absence or loss of, feel the want of (a person).Also, to miss away.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 356.
& al Rom sa gret regret mad thane Fra thai myssit that worthi man c1420 Wynt. ii. 473. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 20.
Syne nevir a deill Quhen thay cum hame ar mist a1568 Bann. MS. 231 b/17.
I glowffin vp agast quhen I hir mys on nycht 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx. 80.(2) c1475 Wall. xi. 1130.
Quhat sorow rais quhen thai him myst away?
b. To feel the want of (a thing). —1442–3 Coldingham Priory 148.
Be the qwilk it semit me that thw missett my servyce 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3842.
And als that fragill ordour feminine Will nocht be missit in Christ's religioun
6. To be short of, to lack. —1646 S. Leith Kirk S. 72.
William Comrie to goe to the steiple and try what the knock misses that she may be helpit and mendit
7. To avoid, escape.Appar. chiefly in negative contexts.(1) 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 32.
My waverand wyt, … My mynd mysty, thir may nocht mys a fall 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 210.
Geue ȝe indure vnto ȝour syne ȝe sall nocht mys the sam rewyne 1567 G. Ball. 126.
Throw His bitter deide I mis Of hell the dyntis dour 1571 Sat. P. xxv. 112.
They sall not misse thair paikes(2) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 661.
I can not mis to tak sum feir
8. To leave out, omit, overlook.1567 G. Ball. 175.
Nane culd he mis, for all was his 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 25.
And quhen he mycht he myst nocht in the law, Twyse on the day
b. Also, in pres. p., as prep. —1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 21.
Each inhabitant … shall goe toure about … missand James Hoipe, becaus he went els
9. In negative contexts. a. To evade, fail to keep (a promise).1560 Rolland Seven S. 7904.
Conforme to ȝour conditioun and promis, Quhilk … I wait ȝe will not mis
-b. To fail (to do something or to happen). Also impers.a1578 Pitsc. II. 157/11.
He will nocht mise bot he will ȝoke allis sune witht ȝow at ȝour bakis as the wther partie will befoir 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 57/4.
Sum notable plaigue missis neuer to ouirtake the comittaires 1651 Dickson Matthew 254/5.
It cannot misse but errours will arise
c. It mist but little, it only just failed, it all but happened (that etc.) —c1679 Kirkton Hist. 344.
It mist but little that they went not to the Lady Yester's church
10. intr. a. To do wrong, to err.Cf. Mis n. 2 a.c1552 Lynd. Mon. 541.
Quhare I mis, I pray thé till amend
b. ? To fail, be unsuccessful; ? to come to harm. (But perh. corrupt.) —c1475 Wall. ix. 808.
My selff can swym, I trow, and sall na mys
