A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1628
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Preclare, -clair(e, adj. Also: præclair. Also ? variant, with altered prefix, of, or ? erroneous form: perclare. [L. præclār-us very clear, very bright, but chiefly as a general term of commendation, like the Sc. word; also 17th c. e.m.E. preclare (1623), but chiefly Sc.]In senses 1 and 2 chiefly in verse.
1. Of a voice: Sounding loudly and clearly.1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. 63.
A voice I hard preclair as Phebus schone c1590 J. Stewart 261 §241.
Ane heawenlie harrang … Pronuncit scho vith desert voce preclair
2. a. Of things that shine or give light, as the sun, jewels, etc.: Bright, shining, lustrous.1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 212.
Ane goldin chair, Ouirfret with perle and stanis maist preclair 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 547.
Margareit our heych & mychtie princes … That peirle preclare [Pitsc. preclair] c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i 112.
The Orient perle baith precious and preclair 15.. Clariodus iii 264.
As goldin Phebus the bricht illuminar Ascendit in the orient preclair 15.. Ib. v 532.
Upon ane couschen of claith of gold preclaire a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xlviii 22. a1585 Ib. lxv 31. c1590 J. Stewart 263 §252.
The tuelt [wall was formed] of purpour amatist preclair 1615 Mure Early Misc. P. viii 28.
Thoise eyes … Dispersing by thair beimes preclair The clouds of thy disdaining 1628 Id. Doomesday 797.
In righteousnesse thy face preclare Who viewing satisfied are
b. Of persons: Illustrious, renowned.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece I xiv.
Mars, Hercules, and othir men preclare 1531 Ib. civ.
My soverane maist preclare 1554 Misc. Bann. C. III 65.
The geneologiis of progenitoris, kingis, princis, and of otheris preclare nobles(b) a1568 Henr.? in Bannatyne MS 25 b/73.
O prince preclair! this cair cotidiane … distort it in exyle 1535 Stewart 59346.
Had he ane sone with this Katherene preclair c1530-40 Id. Maitl. F. lxxxi 13.
Throw the erde … Thow art the … most preclair of progenie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 13.
Sum wryt of preclair conquerouris c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iv 422.
Befoir Venus, as ladie most preclair a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xix 1.
Excellant princes potent and preclair 1580 Hume Promine 64. 1595 Three Reformers 105. c1590 J. Stewart 122/15.
All the gratius nymphs preclair c1590 Ib. 35/188; 147/2. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxviii 6. 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 68.
All thingis concurris to mak thé most preclair
c. Of places, visible objects or features of scenery: Splendid, magnificent, fine.1528 Lynd. Dreme 591.
The portratour of that place preclare By geomatre it is inmesurabyll c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i 49.
Into ane gairth preclair c1550 Ib. ii 121.
Thair manerit mans sa perfyit and preclair 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 170.
Stratherne, … Plenisit with plesand policie preclair 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 91.
To reueris sweit, pure, and preclair, He dryuis me 1573 Davidson Satirical Poems xl 5.
Wald thow gude reider haue ane strenth preclair, Maist strang and stark to rin to in distres c1590 J. Stewart 84/164.
Monie seimlie frondise trie preclair c1590 Ib. 266 §262.
Vithin this New Ierusalem preclair 1598 Melvill Propine 142.
As I me walked in a morning faire, I saw a ship preclaire
d. In other applications: Splendid, excellent, fine.c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxiii 27.
Welcum, my pensioun most preclair 15.. Clariodus i 686.
The King of Spaine he had ane sister fair, … of collouris rycht preclaire a1568 Bannatyne MS 86 a/29.
Peirles in pryce in pulchritude preclare c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv 1.
Howbeit thow war of portrature preclair 1579 Calderwood III. 455.
Suche perclare [v.r. peculiar] occasiouns ought not to be omitted
e. Freq. coupled with plesand, -ant.(a) 15.. Dunb. To London 26.
London … Whose beryall stremys, pleasaunt and preclare, Under thy lusty wallys renneth down c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxix 2.(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii 65.
O potent princes, pleasant and preclair 1535 Stewart 2016.
Richt ȝoung he wes, bayth plesand and preclair 1535 Ib. 3146, 5569, 41275. c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iv 456. 15.. Clariodus iii 2324.
Claithes … plesant and preclair, With rich furringis 15.. Ib. v 2210.
All kingis, queinis, and the ladies fair, War set on scaffalds plesand and preclaire a1585 Arbuthnot Maitland Quarto MS xxxv 86. a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xl 68.
Ane roise maist plesand & preclair
3. Of attributes, qualities or actions of persons: Distinguished, excellent, noble.(a) 1533 Boece 169.
Nocht forȝetting that preclare actis of nobill men suld be honorit 1533 Ib. 210 b.
With deuocion and preclare virtewis 1533 Ib. 250.
Be sic policie the fame of Dongard was preclare 1533 Ib. 386. 1596 Dalr. I 92/18.
Famous & preclare exemples of men of renoume 1596 Ib. 259/13.
The … gout … vttirlie ouirthrew his preclare jugementis c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 3.
Æneas' vertue and his stemme preclare(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 133.
The beriall of bewtie And portratour preclair 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 87.
This day Thy deide purchest victorie preclair a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xl 93. c1590 J. Stewart 71/61.
Thy luifers all and chastetie preclair 1596 Dalr. I 117/2.
Quhais myndes deip and præclair studies hes decored [etc.] 1596 Ib. 1/4, etc. c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv 2.
