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.
Pregnant, Prignant, adj.1 Also: preignant; pringnant, pryngnaunt. [ME and e.m.E. pregna(u)nt (1413), pringnant (c 1450), e.m.E. also preignant (1513) fertile of ideas, inventive; e.m.E. also pregnant (16th c.) with child, L. prægnānt- with child, pregnant, F. prégnant (prégnante fem. in Rabelais 1550).] With child or with young, gravid, in various transf. or fig. senses.
1. a. Applied allusively to the Trojan horse: Teeming, ready to ‘give birth’. b. Productive of, or ready to produce, something.1531 Bell. Boece I xiii.
The fatall hors did throw thair wallis fang, Quhais prignant sidis wer full of men of weir a 1546 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 15.
Faythe I meane mooste pryngnaunt and plentifull of good workes
2. Of a person or his faculties: a. Teeming with ideas, of lively imagination. b. Apt to conceive readily, sharp-witted, mentally quick, penetrating of intellect. c. Full of intellectual promise, promising.(1) attrib. (2) predic. and in post-position.(1) 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 99.
The opinionis … of mony lernit and pregnant men of ingyne 1562-3 Winȝet I 56/24.
Quharein Iohne Knox, of his pregnant ingyne and accustomit craft of rayling … attributis [etc.] 1568 Charteris Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. (S.T.S.) 404.
Quhais pregnant practick and quhais ornate style To be commendit be me neidis na thing 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 76/6.
Euerie curious heid … mycht be his pregnant ingyne defend quhatsumeuir erronius opinion plesit him a1605 Montg. Son. xviii 1.
Quhare bene ȝe, brave and pregnant sprits, becum? Quik vive inventionis, ar ȝe worne auay? c1590 Fowler II 29/6.
Quhome … for the good expectatioun of his pregnant spirit, I name c1590 J. Stewart 267 §3.
Go scherse sum pregnant spreit perfyt, Quho in ȝour douceur dois delyt a1658 J. Carstares Ep. to Reader in Durham Comm. Rev. 1.
He had so … pregnant an ingine and so … rich … an invention, that [etc.] c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxiv 9.
The pregnant spreittis ȝit of the leirnit(b) c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv 2.
Howbeit thow war … indewit with prignant virteuis seir(c) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 288.
Kyith on that craft thy pringnant fresche ingyne 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 376.
O prudent prencis marke wyselie With pringnant wyttis & walkryfe ee Ȝour iugis quhen ȝe go to chuse 1567 G. Ball. 86. c1610 Melville Mem. 416.(2) a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 138/28.
I vil speir at ony man pregnant of ingine 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx 71.
To thé Dame Nature gaue abilitie, Pringnant of wit, of policie but peir Rype of ingyne 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 105.
I had ane douchter … Dotit with vertewis and wit naturall Prignant in spreit 1622-6 Bisset I 14/28.
3. Of literary expression, a composition, an author, language or the like: Full of meaning, containing or expressing deep or recondite significance, profound.a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 270.
In breif sermone ane pregnant sentence wryte 1490 Irland Mir. I 24/2.
This hevinly orisoune teichit … be … Ihesus is sa preignant and full of mater and hevinly sentens 1531 Bell. Boece I cviii.
With mony grave and prignant orisoun Maid … Be … Hector Boetius … To make thy mater more sententius c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 590.
Vergill … In Latin toung was ane most faculent, Nane mair pregnant, facund nor eminent
