A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pensive, -if, a. Also: -yve, -iwe, -iff(e, -yf(e, -eif. [ME. and e.m.E. pensyf(e (Piers Plowman), e.m.E. pensive, F. pensif, -ive f. penser, Pens v. Cf. Pansive.] Full of thought, thoughtful, meditative; esp., full of gloomy or anxious thoughts, mournfully serious, melancholy.Also const. apon or of the subject of one's thoughts or how some plan may be executed.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 129.
Tel me quhy Thu art nov pensiwe & mad & wont wes to be blith & glad 1456 Hay II. 135/3.
Sad and dolorous ever thynkand and pensyf c1460 Dietary 59.
Pensiff a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 524.
Pensiwe in hart 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 353.
And representit a prince … sad and pensif 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 81.
Bewaland gretly in his mynde pensyfe For that his frend was fal and lost the lyfe Ib. ix. iii. 29.
Now the dowtsum dreid … Full pensyve haldis me Ib. iv. vii. 56. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 113. a1568 Scott xiii. 3.
With pensyfe hairt opprest 1566 Cal. Sc. P. II. 315.
[She was very] pensiffe [and he found fault] a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xxxi. 11.
To be penseif [F. pansiue] and sad Na thing it helpe ws may a1578 Pitsc. I. 406/16.
The king grew wonder sorrowfull and pensiue in his hart(2) a1500 Henr. Orph. 389 (Bann.).
Orpheus … Pensyfe in hart apone his lady sueit(3) 1513 Doug. vii. i. 125.
Than the king thochtfull and al pensyve Of sik monstreis [etc.](4) a1400 Leg. S. i. 320.
Symon and Nero ay Ar full pensyve how thai may Confownd thé
b. Of a decision: Carefully considered. —c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 539.
Sine to counsall thay passit all beliue Considderit weill the sentence was pensiue
