Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

Ostage, n.¹ Also: oist-, oustage. [ME. (c 1290), e.m.E. and OF. ostage. Cf. Hostage n.¹]

1. Security given to another, esp. an enemy, that a certain course of action will be carried out, by handing over one or more persons into his power; the persons so handed over, collectively; hostages collectively.c1420 Wynt. v. 439.
Quhen in tyll Rome ostagis sere Of all landis duelland were, And thai off Brettane ostage [E.² oistage] had He gret repayre amang thaim mad c1420 Ib. vii. 125.
Thaire eldast barnys, and thare ayris … For ostage gret he tuk c1420 Ib. 134.
And mony a lord, that had nane Ostage, bot hym-selff allane, Deyd c1420 Ib. viii. 7137. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1847.
The ostage all war chosin furth and send c1460 Ib. 1977.
The douzepeiris com and brocht in his ostage a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1430 (H).
This carnall liff he held bot as ostage

b. In ostage, in the state or condition of a hostage, as a hostage or hostages.?1438 Alex. i. 552.
I am reddy in all ostage That thow sall thank haif of the King ?1438 Ib. ii. 6866.
All that I haue vtarly … Body and hart … To leif in ostage [F. en ostage] with ȝow 1405 Cal. Doc. IV. 403.
Sauve condyts was made til tha personis … til hafe commyn in ostage for the Erle of Douglas c1515 Asloan MS I. 247/21. 1533 Boece iv. i. 124 b.
The elder broder … in oistage at Rome deceissit 1535 Stewart 8229.

2. A person handed over as a pledge or hostage.c1420 Wynt. vii. 1183.
And gert delyveryd … be Off the lordis of that cuntré The grettast ostagys [W. ostage] in warand c1420 Ib. 2506.
And ostagys off thame gret tuk he c1420 Ib. 1709, 2043. 1571 Bann. Memor. 155.
I sall enter such ostages for the suirtie of thé, … as thow will enter for the securitie of me a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 112.
To remane with him as ostages a1651 Calderwood V. 297.
Oustages sent to Flanders for suretie to the Spaniards