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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.

Mist, n. Also: miste, myst(e. [ME. mist(e, myst(e, OE. mist.]

1. Mist, fog.(1) 1375 Barb. ix. 577, 579 (E).
Gret myst in to the mornyng fell, Sa thai mycht nocht se thaim by, For myst, a bowdraucht fullely a1400 Leg. S. xl. 895. c1475 Wall. vii. 580. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 39/37.
As the naturall sone … chasis the myst and cloudis apperand jn the mornyng c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 514. 1513 Doug. i. vi. 176. 1549 Compl. 59/14. Arundel MS. 260/48.
The heill of saulis … Wes in the lymbe in myrknes & mist 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 107.
Ane clud of myst fell about us 1587 Carmichael Etym. 5.
Caligo, dimnes like mist c1580-90 Rules of Health.
In greit wynd, weit, myst(2) c1460 Dietary 42.
Aganis mystis merk and air of pestilens a1500 K. Hart 802.
Ane felloun mist 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 63.
Enclosit with a myst als dyrk as nycht 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 57. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3851.
Sa foull ane reik and mist 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 211.
Quhair Satan promesit to raise ane mist 1587-99 Hume ii. iii.

b. transf. Dust. c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 90.
I wald thay borrowstounis barnis had breikkis, To keip sic mist fra Malkinnis cheikkis

2. A film or haze before the eyes, obscuring the vision.Also in fig. context. 1575 St. A. Kirk S. 415.
They war all fleyit and ane myst cam ower the deponent ein that sche could not see quhat Payis wyffe did to Grub wyffefig. a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 13.
Hir bewtie caist in my ein sic mist in That I vnabill am to mak defence

3. fig. Applied to immaterial things conceived of as obstructing the mental vision by clouding the mind or obscuring the object contemplated; obscurity, uncertainty, ignorance. a1500 Henr. Orph. 602.
Blinding of the spreit With myrk cluddis and myst of ignorance 1513 Doug. vi. iv. 65.
That I may furth schaw Seir thingis … deip envoluyt in myrknes and in myst 1562-3 Winȝet II. 21/7.
A certane mist wes ȝet vpon the myndis of al the bischopes of the Latin toung almaist Ib. 55/14.
Ignorance be the name of science, mist be the name of brycht and fair wedder … mot be colorit and clokit 1570 Sat. P. xvi. 11.
Tak thay not tent, he will not huik it To gyde thame in the mist 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 324.
The reik and mist of my corruptioun … that takis the sicht of my Lord fra me a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. i. ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I. 87.
The ministers who pressed the Covenant, strive to walke in a miste, and keepe ther intentions misticall 1688 Seafield Corr. 44.
If matters were going … as they desire we should not be keept in the mist as we are