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.
Pis(c)h(e, v. Also: piche. [Late ME. pyschyn (Prompt. Parv.), var. of piss Piss(e v.]
1. intr. To pass water, to urinate.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 187.
He … liftis his leg apon loft, thoght he nought list pische 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4015.
It is schame to pische in a widdy a1568 Bann. MS. 158 a/29.
Ay lichtand and pischeand the knave cumis behind 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 720. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Mejo, to pish 1601 Cal. Sc. P. XIII. 898.
The prinslie lyon … pischis onlie as his conquerd slaive(2) a1568 Bann. MS. 158 b/66.
He will nocht rys to the pott Bot pischis amang the strais a1605 Montg. Flyt. 500 (T).
Insteid of sawthe, on it [food] they piche 1607 Crim. Trials II. 524.
Scho pischit vpoun … Margaret Myller, and in diverse pairtis of the … hous 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 138.
For quhat sorcerie is it to pluk up ane nettill be the rute and … pish thairupoun 1648 Dunferm. Kirk S. 27.
The said Wm Crichtoun … pished in his chimney fireproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 130.
All things helps, quod the wran, when she pished in the sea Ib. No. 426.
Of angrie persons … He hes pisht on a nettle
2. tr. To discharge (urine, etc. or as urine). Also fig. c1500 Crying of Play 63.
Scho tuke the grawell and stalit Cragorth Scho pischit the mekle watter of Forth Ib. 78.
Scho pischit fyf quhalis in the firth 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. (Bot.).
The man seik that pischis blud is a evill takin in the bledder to be hurt or in the lendis
3. a. To pisch (a fire) out, to extinguish by urinating upon. b. To wet (one's bed) by urinating. a1568 Scott ii. 87.
The fyre wes pischt out lang or none a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1408.
Some excuse mon he have that pisches the bed
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"Pish v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pische>