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.
Mischant, Mes(c)hant, a. and n. Also: mis(c)h(e)ant(e, -aunt, -ent, (miscent), mysch(e)ant(e, misch(e)and, mechant, metient. [Late ME. myscha(u)nt (a 1450), e.m.E. meschante (1530), thereafter appar. chiefly Sc., OF. mescheant unlucky, wicked (F. méchant wicked).]
1. adj. Of persons: Wicked, vicious, villainous, bad. Also transf.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 177.
How dar ye, mischant [L. impudentissimi] fulis, pretend sic thingis aganis me and my servandis? 1533 Boece iii. vi. 99.
Myscheant Ib. v. iv. 170 b.
Mischeant men, how dar ȝe presume to myssay me with sic reproche? c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3374. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1314.
Mischant transgressouris Ib. 10726.
O mischant mad monsture 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 15. 1567 Sat. P. ii. 2.
The mischant murtheraris occupand his steid ? 1572 Ib. xxxvi. 65.
Fals mischeant Mortoun 1572 Cal. Sc. P. IV. 382. 1581 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 117/8.
Deceauit be sum mischant apostatis 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XI. 572. 1623 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 243.
A verie greate … violence committed … be a number of rude rascall and mischeant people 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 4. 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 33. 1641 Baillie I. 398.
Bot mischeant instruments … misleads so the court(b) 1568 Haddington Corr. 269.
The mischent vnworthie traitour 1595 Misc. Bann. C. I. 354.
These miscent idolaters quha were leading them to their awin damnatione(c) 1515 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 41.
My lord governour held him nocht sic ane man na sa mischand for to do agane our soverane lord c1552 Lynd. Mon. 235.
Sic mischeand musis nor malmontrye Afore tyme vsit in to poetrye(d) 1600 Haddington Corr. 207.
The meschant traitour … grippit his maiestie be the mouth and throttransf. c1590 J. Stewart II. 267 § 4. Ib. 35/201.
Most meschant mouth of Momus slie Of sum reprotche vill ay be full
2. Spiritless, lacking in vigour or ability, feeble, worthless.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece II. 339.
Sen we have experience of sa mony wickit and hevy dammagis … we sal be reput mischant fulis Ib. 400.
For ilk man micht cleirly understand the Paip wes nocht sa mischant [L. stupidum] bot he knew weill the motive of thir weris Ib. (M) II. 275.
And thocht thai febill and myschante [pr. myschance] bodeis [L. ignavissimi] intendis [etc.] 1533 Boece vi. i. 186.
Ane myscheant and infamous man, dolf of curage a1586 Lindsay MS. 67.
Thai may record the neidis of the mischante & nedye peple 1624 Buccleuch Mun. II. 349.
I perceaue him moved with the sense of that mishant man's miserie 1658 Baillie III. 361.
They have made the Laigh Church as good as new … For all this, Mr. P. Gillespie … informes the Protector of them as … mishent men(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 33/13.
He brunt the mair for anger within him sellff that he was sa meschant in this behalf c1590 J. Stewart II. 83/137.
Ane laird be thé becums ane meschant lowne
3. Of one's character or conduct: a. Wicked, villainous, heinous, bad. b. ? Weak, spineless; negligent.a. (a) 1561 Q. Kennedy Compend. Ressonyng (ed.) 167/33.
In contrar the railling ressoning and mischeant mokrie of vane men … aganis the mes c 1570 Sat. P. xx. 146.
All thay that dois … With mischant mynde maling Aganis the treuth ? 1572 Ib. xxxvi. 121. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 258.
Think again upon our gratitude and mischeant. behaviour 1600 Crim. Trials II. 302.
The most mishant treasone that ever was intended 1614 Melrose P. 176. 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 260.
His mischant useing of her 1638 Henderson Serm. 177.
How mischent, ill & barren then should my heart be ? 1662 Postscript for Lysimachus Nicanor 14.
The mischant wrong your partie did to us in this mater(b) 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 3.
That it was ane meschant deid to leve thair toune as thay did 1600 Colville Palinode 23.
The meshant act of Tarquinius Superbus a1676 Guthry Mem. 7.
This mechant business, called in way of detestation even unto this timeb. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 237.
The Pichtis be mischant foly passis to battall in support of their profest ennimes 1533 Boece iii. xvii. 115.
Be his myscheant gouerment … and be necligence 1607 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 379.
By the mischeant inconstancye and volubilitye of some
4. n. A wicked or mischievous person, a miscreant, villain, scoundrel; also, a spiritless creature, a poltroon, a wretch.(a) 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 68.
Gyf thyr thyngis [be of ver]yte ye haif gyded your self lyke ane myschant 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4232.
Mischant, quhat hes thow to me done? 1584 Calderwood IV. 113.
[The Duke of Lennox] called me pultron, villane, mischant and manie other injurious words a1585 Polwart Flyt. 125.
Mischevous mischant 1603 Philotus lxxxv.
Fals mischant, full of all mischeif 1570 Spotsw. Hist. 238.
By suborning a mischant to kill him treacherously(b) 1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 344.
I harde ane sclanderus bruit how thair vas to cum … men of were and, as swm metientis did juge, to prevein [etc.] c1590 J. Stewart II. 30/19.
Meschant
