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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1586
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Plicht, n.1 Also: plycht, plight, plyght; plycth; pleicht. [ME. and e.m.E. plihht (Ormulum), plyght, plyȝt peril, offence, guilt, undertaking, pledge, OE. pliht danger, risk, OFris. plicht danger, concern, care, MDu. plicht, plecht responsibility, duty, obligation, MLG. plicht duty, obligation; f. pleh-, pleg-, stem of OE. pléon to risk loss, expose to danger, or WGerm. plegan to take the risk or responsibility of (an act), to be responsible for.]
1. Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk, danger, peril. b. An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.c1460 Regimine Principum 49 (Marchmont).
Al the plicht [D. pleicht] and perel lyis on thé a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 297.
Bath plicht and perell on thaim lyis That tynis thar barnys on this wis a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1104.
Ane wounder peralous poynt partenyng grete plight [: sight, knight, fight] To soner in thi gentrice a1500 Ib. 1305.
To leif in sic perell and in sa grete plight 1572 Satirical Poems xxxii. 104.
Blaming thy tressoun the caus of all our plicht [: wicht, richt, micht] 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 569.
Quha commandit this? Bot Jhone Downy ansuerit, I sall tak all the plicht and perrell in my awin handb. (a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 6167.
[They] vndertuke to hald thair hecht Or leif thare bodeis in the plicht 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 77.
Vlixes … hym self nor his Myghtyn forȝet into sa gret a plyght [L. tanto discrimine; rh. wight](b) 1535 Stewart 14273.
He did him than to vnderstand The pleicht of all sould fall on his awin hand
2. To haif plycht, ? to bear blame; ? to suffer the consequences.(Cf. ME. haf … plight (Manning).).a1500 Henr. Fab. 2669 (Bann.).
For my trespas quhy suld my sone haif plycht [: rycht]? Quha did the mis, lat thame sustene the pane
3. Wrong-doing, sin, crime.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 516.
For thar gret wikitnese and plycht [: lycht] a1400 Ib. xxx. 355.
My saule … Has distroyt thru my plicht Of my gret beute the sicht a1400 Ib. 799. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2137.
Gyve he had conscyence off that plycht [etc.] 1461 Liber Pluscardensis 387.
Scho … Dyd neuir of plycth the pointyr of a preyn a1500 King Hart 245.
Will ȝe saye me now for quhat plycht, For that I wait I did ȝow never offence c1500 Makculloch MS xv. 12.
Behald my body … al to schent Man for thi plycht
4. (One's) office.c1420 Wynt. v. 3794 (W).
At Ambros Sall neuer discerne bot it is rycht That I be put furth of my plycht a1500 Sir Eger 268.
Therein [are] … leeches that are true of plight
