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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.

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 fire
proverb. 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>

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