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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.

Petuo(u)s, a. (? adv.) Also: -uus, -wous, -wys, -ew(o)us, -owis, -ewis. [ME. petuose (once, as adv., Chaucer), var. of Pituous a. Cf. Petous a., Peteo(u)s a.] Piteous, in the usual senses.

1. Of things, material and non-material, also of persons: Deserving or appealing for pity; arousing compassion; pitiable; mournful.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i. 90.
[He] one Crist callyt with petowis stewyne c1450-2 Howlat 41 (A).
I herd ane petuos appele with ane pure mane Solpit in sorowe c1460 Thewis Wysmen 256.
Wysmen ar … mercyabile in petwous cas 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 382.
This petwys playnt c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiv. 13.
Quhois petewous [v.r. -ewus] deithe dois to my hart sic pane 1513 Doug. x. vi. 135.
And of hys mouth a petuus [Ruddim. pietuous] thing to se The lopprit blude in ded thraw voydis he Ib. iv. viii. 113. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 195/30 n.
Petewis Arundel MS. 255/3.
The petuous cruell woundis — 1531 Bell. Boece I. 66.
Quhais dolorus havingis war sa petuous that every man had compassioun thairof(2) a1500 Henr. Orph. 349 (Asl.).
Erudices … Lene and dedlyke petuos & pale of hewe

b. ? as adv. Pitiably. But perh. merely a further instance of the above. — c1450-2 Howlat 256 (A).
Bot to the poynt petuos he prayit the pape To call the clergy with cure

2. Of persons: Affected with, or moved by, compassion, tenderness or pity. Also transf. 1490 Irland Mir. II. 30/4.
Ihesus … was sa petuus … that … he offerit his precius lif — a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 204 (Asl.).
Job & Dauid … to the pure had ay a petuos e

3. Full of piety; godly, devout, dutiful. 1513 Doug. i. ix. 42.
Gif ony deite takis tent To thame at petuus beyn and pacient Ib. viii. 58. a1538 Abell 9* a.
Petuos paip Paul floryst in virtu